Federalists and Republicans were the first two political parties in the United States. Federalists believed in a strong central government, a strong army, industry, and loose interpretation of the Constitution while Republicans believed in a weak central government, state and individual rights, and strict interpretation of the Constitution. Despite the inaugural address made by Thomas Jefferson," We are all Federalists, we are all Republicans," domestic and foreign policies of Thomas Jefferson have showed that he only supported the Republicans. To force Britain to give the United States favorable commercial terms, Jefferson advocated an Embargo Act against that country, which prohibited American ships from sailing to any foreign port. The Kentucky Resolution was a protest against the Alien and Sedition Acts passed by Congress. Louisiana Purchase was the greatest real estate deal in history.
Embargo Act was a law that prohibited United States vessels from trading with European nations during the Napoleonic Wars. Passed by Congress in December 1807 over Federalist opposition and at the behest of President Thomas Jefferson, the Embargo Act was a response to restrictive measures imposed on American neutrality by France and Britain, at war with each other. Specifically, Napoleon sought to blockade his foe by forbidding any nation to trade with Britain. The latter retaliated by banning neutral trade with France and its allies. Vessels violating either the French or British blockades would be seized; thus, the neutral U.S. risked the loss of merchant ships to both sides. To pressure the belligerents to respect neutral rights and to demonstrate the value of trade with the U.S., Jefferson responded with the embargo instead of open warfare.
In U.S. history, resolutions passed in opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were enacted by the Federalists in 1798. The Jeffersonian Republicans first replied in the...