| Jeffersonian Party | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Third Triumvir Thomas Jefferson, the founder and namesake of the Jeffersonian Party. | |
|
Founded |
1783 |
|
Preceded By |
Fraternity of Freedom |
|
Succeeded By |
Crown Party, Whig Party, Libertarian Party |
|
Ideology |
Republicanism, States' Rights, Agrarianism, Political Equality |
|
Size |
Major |
|
Colors |
Green |
The Jeffersonian Party was one of the two major political parties in the American Republic, along with the Jacksonian Party. Founded in the early 1780s by Third Triumvir Thomas Jefferson, the party reflected Jefferson's views which reflected a minority in the Triumvirate government. With Jefferson commonly outvoted by his fellow Triumvirs Thomas Paine and Aaron Burr, the party rarely achieved power on the national level. Although it did dominate the state political systems, with many Governors allying with Jefferson's views. After Jefferson's death in the 4th of November coup in 1799, the party slowly shrunk until it finally disbanded after the creation of the URAS. The Jeffersonian Party never achieved national control of the country.
The party's platform was the embodiment of Thomas Jefferson's personal views. Jefferson believed in a limiting the power of the Triumvirate, and giving more power to the local state governments. The majority was to rule as it pleased, with democracy and equality of political opportunity being key tenets. Priority was to be placed with the "yeoman farmers" and the "plain folk," as Jefferson was antagonistic to the aristocratic elitism of merchants and manufacturers. Factory workers were also distrusted, along with any supporters of the "dreaded" British sytem of government; the Jeffersonian Party tended to be more French-leaning in their views. Above all, the Jeffersonians were devoted to the principles of republicanism, especially civic duty and opposition to privilege, aristocracy, and corruption.