Thomas Jefferson, our third president, represents small government and the interests of what he calls the common man. John Adams, along with Alexander Hamilton, are allied with those who wish a more far-reaching, larger federal government, and to see powerful interests in charge of the young nation. The contest waged in 1800 is the first one in which distinct parties vie for the presidential prize. It becomes increasingly bitter, with Hamilton undercutting his own nominee, before Jefferson is declared the winner. Thereafter, the Republicans will dominate American politics for the next 24 years and the nation’s course forward will be firmly established.
