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Erika Wawrzenczyk
Mrs. Backenstose
Grade 7, Writing, Period 3
April 8, 2014

Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson

The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time, stated Thomas Jefferson.
The meaning of Jeffersons quote is that any person should have freedom and liberty from the
day they are born. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, both great political leaders,
disagrees greatly in their beliefs and direction for our country. These men different in their
backgrounds, opinions of the people and political beliefs. Even though both men lost their fathers
at a young age, they came from very different backgrounds.
Both, Jefferson and Hamilton were well educated as children, but still had very different
upbringings. For example, Alexander Hamilton was born in the British West Indies. Hamilton
grew up in a poor family. When he was a teenager, he came to New York to get a better
education. He became an extraordinary mathematician. Later on, Mr. Hamilton married
Elizabeth Schuyler. Mrs. Schuyler came from a very wealthy family. George Washington saw the
intelligence radiating off of Hamilton and eventually appointed him Secretary of Treasury. In
contrast, Thomas Jefferson was born in Virginia. Jefferson grew up in a wealthy family. He got a
good education, despite the fact he lost his father at a very young age. He was a phenomenal
writer. When Mr. Jefferson was twenty-nine, he marries Martha Skelton. George Washington
liked Jefferson and appointed him Secretary of State. Even though both Hamilton and Jefferson
were great politicians, they had different opinions of the nations people.
Both, Jefferson and Hamilton wanted a good future for the United States, but had
different opinions of the people that reside within it. For instance, Alexander Hamilton thought
power should be given to wealthy, aristocratic families. Also, he thought that the masses of
people could not be trusted. His supporters were people from the Northeast and southern
plantation owners. They were wealthier aristocrats. Unlike Alexander Hamilton, Thomas
Jefferson believed that the average people should have power and that the common people
should be in charge. Mr. Jeffersons followers were common farmers. They resided mainly in the
south and west. Since Jefferson and Hamilton had different opinions of the nations people, they
also had different political beliefs.
Jefferson and Hamilton had extraordinary ideas for our nation, but still disagreed greatly
about the politics of the United States. To begin, Alexander Hamilton admired the British
aristocracy. He liked the upper class rule. Mr. Hamilton also interpreted the Constitution loosely.
He implied a lot of rules and laws that could be passed. Hamilton wanted a strong central
government. On the other hand, Thomas Jefferson favored the French Policy. He liked that more

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common people got a say in Frances government. Mr. Jefferson also favored a strict
interpretation of the Constitution. If it wasnt written it shouldnt be allowed. He also wagered
for states rights. Jefferson thought that the states should have a say in the government. These
men different in their backgrounds, opinions of the people and political beliefs.
The extraordinary political figures of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson
disagreed greatly about the bringing of our nation. First off, Alexander Hamilton grew up in a
poor family when Thomas Jefferson grew up in a wealthy family. Secondly, Alexander Hamilton
thought that the wealthier aristocratic families should rule, unlike Thomas Jefferson, who
thought that more common people should be in the government. Lastly, Alexander Hamilton
believed in loose construction of the Constitution, when Thomas Jefferson believed in strict
construction. Despite the beliefs our country followed, the citizens still had freedom and liberty.