Founding Partisans

In Founding Partisans, acclaimed historian H.W. Brands explores the tumultuous beginnings of political divisions in the early United States, highlighting how the framers of the Constitution, wary of partisan politics, could not prevent the emergence of political parties. The narrative focuses on the clash between the Federalists, led by figures like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, and the Antifederalists, who later reformed as the Republicans under Thomas Jefferson. Through a dramatic recounting of early elections and constitutional struggles, Brands underscores that the fierce partisanship shaping American politics began at the nation’s founding, reminding us that such divisions have long been a part of the republic's journey.