Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumPolitics, Hamilton's Plan, and Foreign Policy in the New Republic

Read the excerpt below:

"The liberty of the whole earth was depending on the issue of the contest, and was ever such a prize won with so little innocent blood?... [R]ather than it should have failed, I would have seen half the earth desolated. Were there but an Adam and an Eve left in every country, and left free, it would be better than as it now is."
— Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Short, 1793

The debate generated by the sentiments expressed in the excerpt contributed most directly to which of the following?

  1. The emergence of permanent political factions divided over foreign affairs and ideological alignmentsAnswer
  2. B
    A consensus among early political leaders that the United States must actively support democratic revolutions abroad
  3. C
    Federalist advocacy for an agrarian economy that would avoid European-style industrial conflicts
  4. D
    Disputes over whether the federal government had the constitutional power to regulate commerce under the Articles of Confederation

Answer

The emergence of permanent political factions divided over foreign affairs and ideological alignments
The French Revolution and the question of American support for it served as a major catalyst for the division between Hamilton's Federalists (who favored Great Britain and feared radical French violence) and Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans (who favored France and supported the revolution's ideals).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document
The excerpt is from Thomas Jefferson in 1793, expressing extreme support for the French Revolution, viewing it as essential for global liberty despite its violence.
Understanding the point of view of the author and the historical context of the French Revolution is necessary to evaluate its impact on the early republic.
2
Assess the domestic response to the French Revolution in the 1790s
The French Revolution deeply polarized American political leaders. Jeffersonians supported the struggle for liberty, while Hamiltonians viewed the revolution's radicalism and violence with horror, favoring closer commercial ties to Great Britain.
This establishes the link between foreign events and domestic political division.
3
Evaluate the choices to determine the direct outcome of these debates
The debates over foreign policy (e.g., French relations, Neutrality Proclamation, Jay's Treaty) contributed directly to the hardening of the First Party System (Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans).
Connecting the ideological rift over foreign affairs directly to the emergence of permanent political factions identifies the correct answer.

Key Concept

First Party System and Foreign Policy Divisions
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

Politics, Hamilton's Plan, and Foreign Policy in the New Republic

More questions from this topic