User:A.R./Republican-Federalist Debate

The Republican-Federalist debate took place in the Thirteen Colonies and the United States of America during the late 18th and early 19th century.

The debate revolved mainly around the questions of what power should the federal government have, in relation to the powers of each individual state, and in what ways can this balance of power be changed. "Republicans" supported a loose construction of the Union, and a strict construction of the Constitution; "Federalists" supported a stronger government for the entire Union, and a loosely-constructed Constitution.

Republican-Federalist debate today
The Republican-Federalist debate, in its original meaning, ceased to exist – no exact point in time can be established, but this may be placed at the Second Party System (1852) or perhaps the Civil War (1861).

In any instance, during the 20th and 21st centuries, some Supreme Court cases regarded the issue of federal power vs. state power. Most notable among those were:
 * Roe v. Wade (1973) – the Supreme Court, which is a federal body, canceled a state law in Texas.
 * Lawrence v. Texas (2003) – same description as Roe v. Wade.

Persons who took the Republican stance

 * Aaron Burr
 * Patrick Henry

Persons who took the Federalist stance

 * Alexander Hamilton
 * George Washington

Persons who took both stances or converted between them

 * Thomas Jefferson