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The '''First Party System''' is the term political scientists and historians give to the political system governing the United States between 1792 and the early 1820s. It featured two national parties that competed for control of the Presidency, Congress, and the states: the '''[[Federalist Party]]''' created by [[Alexander Hamilton]], and the '''[[Jeffersonian Republicans]]''' created by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]]). Partisan politics virtually ended during the [[Era of Good Feelings]] (1816-1824), as the Federalists shrank to a few isolated strongholds. In 1824-28, as the [[Second Party System]] emerged, the Republicans split into the Jacksonian faction (which became the modern Democratic Party in the 1830s) and the [[Henry Clay]] faction which became the [[Whig Party]]. Throughout the period the two parties contested elections vigorously, but if defeated they did not rebel. Instead they formed an opposition that vetted the programs of the dominant party and attempted to build a winning coalition for the next election.

The '''First Party System''' is the term political scientists and historians give to the political system governing the United States between 1792 and the early 1820s. It featured two national parties that competed for control of the Presidency, Congress, and the states: the '''[[Federalist Party]]''' created by [[Alexander Hamilton]], and the '''[[Jeffersonian Republicans]]''' created by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]]. Partisan politics virtually ended during the [[Era of Good Feelings]] (1816-1824), as the Federalists shrank to a few isolated strongholds. In 1824-28, as the [[Second Party System]] emerged, the Republicans split into the Jacksonian faction (which became the modern Democratic Party in the 1830s) and the [[Henry Clay]] faction which became the [[Whig Party]]. Throughout the period the two parties contested elections vigorously, but if defeated they did not rebel. Instead they formed an opposition that vetted the programs of the dominant party and attempted to build a winning coalition for the next election.

==Idea of a party system==

==Idea of a party system==

[[Image:NEWS1800.JPG|thumb|left|rapid growth of party newspapers]]

[[Image:NEWS1800.JPG|thumb|left|rapid growth of party newspapers]]

Hamilton set up his own stable of Federalist papers. His editor in New York City was [[Noah Webster]]. In 1793, Hamilton loaned him $1500 to move to New York City and edit a newspaper for the new [[Federalist Party]]. In December Webster  founded New York's first daily newspaper, ''American Minerva'' (later known as ''The Commercial Advertiser''). He edited it for four years, writing the equivalent of 20 volumes of articles and editorials. He also published the semi-weekly publication, ''The Herald, A Gazette for the country'' (later known as ''The New York Spectator''). As a partisan, he soon was denounced by the Democratic-Republicans as "a pusillanimous, half-begotten, self-dubbed patriot," "an incurable lunatic," and "a deceitful newsmonger ... Pedagogue and Quack." Fellow Federalist Cobbett labelled him "a traitor to the cause of Federalism", calling him "a toad in the service of sans-cullottism," "a prostitute wretch," "a great fool, and a barefaced liar," "a spiteful viper," and "a maniacal pedant." The master of words was distressed. Even the use of words like "the people," "democracy," and "equality" in public debate bothered him, for such words were "metaphysical abstractions that either have no meaning, or at least none that mere mortals can comprehend."<ref>Joseph Ellis, ''After the Revolution: Profiles of Early American Culture'' (1979) pp 199, 206.</ref>

Hamilton set up his own stable of Federalist papers. His editor in New York City was [[Noah Webster]]. In 1793, Hamilton loaned him $1500 to move to New York City and edit a newspaper for the new [[Federalist Party]]. In December Webster  founded New York's first daily newspaper, ''American Minerva'' (later known as ''The Commercial Advertiser''). He edited it for four years, writing the equivalent of 20 volumes of articles and editorials. He also published the semi-weekly publication, ''The Herald, A Gazette for the country'' (later known as ''The New York Spectator''). As a partisan, he soon was denounced by the Republicans as "a pusillanimous, half-begotten, self-dubbed patriot," "an incurable lunatic," and "a deceitful newsmonger ... Pedagogue and Quack." Fellow Federalist Cobbett labelled him "a traitor to the cause of Federalism", calling him "a toad in the service of sans-cullottism," "a prostitute wretch," "a great fool, and a barefaced liar," "a spiteful viper," and "a maniacal pedant." The master of words was distressed. Even the use of words like "the people," "democracy," and "equality" in public debate bothered him, for such words were "metaphysical abstractions that either have no meaning, or at least none that mere mortals can comprehend."<ref>Joseph Ellis, ''After the Revolution: Profiles of Early American Culture'' (1979) pp 199, 206.</ref>

By 1796, both parties had a national network of newspapers, which attacked each other vehemently. In 1802 the New York ''Evening Post,'' with large amounts of advertising by Federalist merchants, published a daily edition for 1100 subscribers in the city, and a weekly edition that circulated to 1600 subscribers nationwide. The Federalist and Republican newspapers of the 1790s traded vicious barbs. Hamilton's vices, both personal and political, were favorite targets, as shown by this doggerel from a Jeffersonian paper:<ref>''Independent Chronicle'' (Boston), 16 October 1797 quoted in Carol Sue Humphrey, ''The Revolutionary Era: Primary Documents on Events from 1776 to 1800'' (2003) p, 260.</ref>   

By 1796, both parties had a national network of newspapers, which attacked each other vehemently. In 1802 the New York ''Evening Post,'' with large amounts of advertising by Federalist merchants, published a daily edition for 1100 subscribers in the city, and a weekly edition that circulated to 1600 subscribers nationwide. The Federalist and Republican newspapers of the 1790s traded vicious barbs. Hamilton's vices, both personal and political, were favorite targets, as shown by this doggerel from a Jeffersonian paper:<ref>''Independent Chronicle'' (Boston), 16 October 1797 quoted in Carol Sue Humphrey, ''The Revolutionary Era: Primary Documents on Events from 1776 to 1800'' (2003) p, 260.</ref>   

In 1798 the disputes with France led to a [[Quasi-War]], an undeclared naval war involving the navies and merchant ships of both countries. Democratic-Republicans said France really wanted peace, but the [[XYZ Affair]] undercut their position. Warning that full-scale war with France was imminent, Hamilton and his "High Federalist" allies forced the issue by getting Congressional approval to raise a large new army (which Hamilton controlled), replete with officers' commissions (which he bestowed on his partisans). The [[Alien and Sedition Act]] (1798) clamped down on dissenters, including pro-Jefferson editors, and Vermont Congressman [[Matthew Lyon]], who won re-election while in jail in 1798.  In the [[Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions]] (1798), secretly drafted by Madison and Jefferson, the legislatures of the two states challenged the power of the federal government.<ref>Miller, ''Federalist Era'' pp 210-43</ref>

In 1798 the disputes with France led to a [[Quasi-War]], an undeclared naval war involving the navies and merchant ships of both countries. The Republicans said France really wanted peace, but the [[XYZ Affair]] undercut their position. Warning that full-scale war with France was imminent, Hamilton and his "High Federalist" allies forced the issue by getting Congressional approval to raise a large new army (which Hamilton controlled), replete with officers' commissions (which he bestowed on his partisans). The [[Alien and Sedition Act]] (1798) clamped down on dissenters, including pro-Jefferson editors, and Vermont Congressman [[Matthew Lyon]], who won re-election while in jail in 1798.  In the [[Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions]] (1798), secretly drafted by Madison and Jefferson, the legislatures of the two states challenged the power of the federal government.<ref>Miller, ''Federalist Era'' pp 210-43</ref>

==Jefferson and the revolution of 1800==

==Jefferson and the revolution of 1800==

*[[Federalist Party]]

*[[Federalist Party]]

*[[Second Party System]]

*[[Second Party System]]

*[[Democratic-Republican Party]]

*[[Republicans (Jeffersonian)]]

==Bibliography ==

==Bibliography ==