AP United States History Free Response

While the generalization of Republican's as strict constructionists and the Federalist's as loose ones holds some truth to it, the beginning of the nineteenth century saw to a change in the economy, constitutional interpretation and judicial decisions of both parties. From 1801 until 1817 the Jeffersonian Republicans slowly converged with Federalist ideals and the Federalist's, over the course of Madison's presidency, became more and more strict as constructionists. The Embargo Act of 1807 (Doc. C) was passed by …

…characterization of the parties if you really look at the years between 1801 and 1817. Both presidents claimed what their ideals were yet neither seemed to follow through. Of course when running a country nothing can be set in stone since you do not know what it going to happen the next day. They had to be prepared for changes and they needed to be flexible with their views in order to keep our country running properly.