First Parties Vocabulary Review
Independent Practice • Early Republic
First Parties Vocabulary Review
Hamilton, Jefferson, Federalists, & Democratic-Republicans
Name:
Date:
Team:
1 Part I: Definition Matching
Write the letter of the correct term in each box.
A. Alexander Hamilton
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. Federalists
D. Democratic-Republicans
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Political faction favoring strong state governments, strict constitutional construction, and an agrarian economy powered by yeoman farmers.
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First Secretary of the Treasury who advocated for a national bank, assumption of state debts, commerce, and industrial manufacturing.
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Political party supporting an energetic central government, loose constitutional construction, commercial expansion, and ties with Britain.
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First Secretary of State who drafted the Declaration of Independence, championed civil liberties, and favored supporting revolutionary France.
2 Part II: Short Answer & Word Bank Application
Fill in each blank using terms from the word bank below.
Word Bank Alexander Hamilton • Thomas Jefferson • Federalists • Democratic-Republicans
5. Constitutional Interpretation: To justify chartering a national bank, championed the "elastic clause" (loose construction), whereas strictly interpreted the Constitution, arguing the federal government had no such power.
6. Foreign Policy Divide: When Great Britain and France went to war, the sympathized with the French struggle for liberty, while the supported neutrality and commercial trade treaties with the British.
7. Economic Vision: Which party warned that growing urban factories and a centralized financial elite would corrupt American democracy?
Answer:
3 Part III: Synthesis Short Answer
Respond in 1–2 complete sentences.
- Select one leader (Alexander Hamilton or Thomas Jefferson). What did he believe posed the greatest threat to the new nation, and how did his vision address it?
Early American Republic • Independent Vocabulary Review Scoring: _____ / 10 Points
First Parties Answer Key
Teacher Resource • Master Answer Key & Rubric
First Parties Vocabulary Review
Standard Scoring Guide & Explanations • Total: 10 Points
Grading Key
10 Total Points
Passing Threshold: 7/10 (70%)
1 Part I: Definition Matching (4 Points • 1 pt each)
Correct Letter Marked in Red
D
- Political faction favoring strong state governments, strict constitutional construction, and an agrarian economy... → [D] Democratic-Republicans
A
- First Secretary of the Treasury who advocated for a national bank, assumption of state debts, commerce... → [A] Alexander Hamilton
C
- Political party supporting an energetic central government, loose constitutional construction, commercial ties... → [C] Federalists
B
- First Secretary of State who drafted the Declaration of Independence, championed civil liberties... → [B] Thomas Jefferson
2 Part II: Short Answer & Word Bank Application (4 Points)
Accepted Terms Highlighted
Item 5 (2 pts • 1 pt each blank)
To justify chartering a national bank, Alexander Hamilton championed the "elastic clause" (loose construction), whereas Thomas Jefferson strictly interpreted the Constitution, arguing the federal government had no such power.
Item 6 (2 pts • 1 pt each blank)
When Great Britain and France went to war, the Democratic-Republicans sympathized with the French struggle for liberty, while the Federalists supported neutrality and commercial trade treaties with the British.
7. Economic Vision: Which party warned that urban factories would corrupt democracy?
Democratic-Republicans
3 Part III: Synthesis Response Rubric & Exemplars (2 Points)
1 pt identifying threat + 1 pt addressing policy
Exemplar A (Alexander Hamilton):
"Hamilton feared government weakness, mob rule, and financial instability. He believed a strong national executive, centralized public credit, and a national bank were essential to unite the states and foster commercial power."
Exemplar B (Thomas Jefferson):
"Jefferson feared centralized tyranny, monarchy, and wealthy financial corruption. He sought to prevent this by strictly limiting federal powers, protecting state sovereignty, and preserving an agrarian republic of independent farmers."
Teacher Tips & Common Misconceptions
Remind students that Federalists during Constitutional ratification (1787–88) supported the Constitution itself, whereas the Federalist Party (1790s) was a specific political party aligned with Hamilton's economic and foreign policies against Jefferson's Democratic-Republicans.
First Factions Clash • Teacher Resource Answer Key • 10 Points Total
