| − | Burke was read by the first generation of American conservatives, including [[Alexander Hamilton]], [[John Adams]], and [[John Randolph]]. Historian [[Russell Kirk]] identifies the Citizen Genêt affair of 1793 as the first occasion when American liberals and conservatives squared off. In the election of 1800, Republican [[Thomas Jefferson]] and Federalist John Adams clashed over policy toward France, taxes, state's rights, and other issues. One must caution that Jefferson was also quite conservative by today's standards. Political liberalism of the modern sort did not arise until the late nineteenth century. The intensely ideological politicking of 1800 dissipated with the end of the French Revolution. By 1816, the Federalist Party had dissolved altogether. Yet [[James Monroe]], president from 1817 to 1825, freely adopted various Federalist positions regarding tariffs, a national bank, and other issues. The ideological differences that had loomed so large earlier were left behind and an "Era of Good Feelings" dawned. | + | Burke was read by the first generation of American conservatives, including [[Alexander Hamilton]], [[John Adams]], and [[John Randolph]]. Hamilton founded the Federalist Party, America's first conservative party, in 1789. The Republicans, a rival pro-French faction led by [[Thomas Jefferson]], emerged in 1793 during the Citizen Genêt affair. In 1796, Adams won the presidency as the Federalist nominee. In the election of 1800, Jefferson defeated Adams in America's first hotly contested presidential election. One must caution that the Jeffersonian Republicans were classical liberals. The modern-trade-union oriented variety of liberalism did not emerge until the late nineteenth century. Jefferson was actually quite conservative by today's standards. The intensely ideological politicking of 1800 dissipated with the end of the French Revolution. By 1816, the Federalist Party had dissolved altogether. Yet [[James Monroe]], president from 1817 to 1825, freely adopted various Federalist positions regarding tariffs, a national bank, and other issues. The ideological differences that had loomed so large earlier were left behind and an "Era of Good Feelings" dawned. |