This essay is on Strict vs. Loose construction during the presidencies of Madison and Jefferson

In the early days of the United States of America when the country was beginning to grow under the newly ratified Constitution, there were two main political parties in existence, the Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans. From the time period of 1801-1817, the two presidents that were elected to rule the U.S. were Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Both Jefferson and Madison were Jeffersonian Republicans who were characterized as strict-constructionists in respect to the …

…found out, like Jefferson, that the office of the presidency shapes the man. Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison found started out characterized as strict-constructionists of the Constitution, but when they took the Presidency, they found out that it was hard to keep up with their own beliefs. The both took actions that contradicted their original ideas. The original characterization of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison proved to be not very accurate during their presidencies.