Topic of the Essay: Citing the essential developments of the 1790s, describe and EXPLAIN the emergence of the First Party System. (You MUST carry your discussion through the election of 1800).
– Some of the “essential developments you must consider are ideological differences concerning: national development, foreign policy, contestation over “civil liberties,” elitism v. democracy, the appropriate character of federalism, constitutional interpretation, and so forth.
– You will want to demonstrate how division among the elite over these matters led to political polarization and, ultimately, to the creation of oppositional political parties.
Professors words: Remember that I evaluate your work based upon 1) the strength of the thesis you advance in fully addressing the question I ask and 2) the SPECIFIC HISTORICAL EXAMPLES you offer to support your argument. If you do not fully address the question you cannot receive satisfactory credit. If you do not offer specific historical examples to support your argument, the highest grade you can possibly score is a “C.” To receive a “B” or an “A” mark, you must 1) provide specific hist examples to support your thesis and 2) demonstrate a critical approach by considering the relationships (cause/effect, explanatory) between the developments you are considering.