The concept of "independence" is important to both Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, but does it mean the same thing to each man? What does independence mean to each?

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Litzy Webb

15 May, 13:21

The concept of "independence" is important to both Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, but does it mean the same thing to each man? What does independence mean to each?

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Keira Cameron · Answer 1

For Thomas Jefferson, independence was a much lower scale thing starting with the individual. Even though he supported a strong central government he believed that it should be a foreign policy thing and not a domestic policy thing and that self-sufficient citizens without the government meddling in their affairs were of the highest priority.

For Hamilton, independence was a cultural and a national thing. He believed that the government should meddle into lives of individual citizens in order to ensure that there is national unity and stability and that all citizens should unite for a goal of having a strong independent nation that could thrive because of heavy economic competition from foreigners.