> Good afternoon !!! I was looking through some of the sites dedicated to
> Thomas Jefferson and came across yours. I am in the process of becoming a US
> Citizen. One of the things I decided to learn was the Declaration of
> Independence and The Bill of Rights. This is not a "must" for my citizenship
> exam, rather a personal goal. I want to know what this country was founded
> on. Through my research I noticed that The Federalists and Jefferson
> although agreed in some issues, they else differed in a few. I am unable to
> find exactly which issues they differ on. Would you be able to guide me to
> the place on the net that could help me figure that out? Do you know of any
> papers that were written on their differences?

Congratulations on your decision to become a US citizen!  The Declaration of
Independence (especially the first part) and the Bill of Rights are
certainly excellent sources for getting a grasp of the principles and ideals
upon which the American republic is founded.  In fact, I would recommend
that you memorize the portion of the Declaration, beginning with the words
"We hold these truths...." and extending down to the words "...to provide
new guards for their future security."  Those few words set forth what
America is and should be about.  Often, we fail to adhere as closely to our
ideals as we should.  But they remain there as a reminder to us, and a
standard to which we can always return.

When studying the history of the early republic, it is important to remember
that there were, in effect, TWO Federalists.  The Federalists at the time of
the writing of the Constitution were in favor of forming a strong but
limited national government existing side by side with state governments in
a "separation of powers."  The anti-federalists of that period opposed the
U.S. Constitution.  Jefferson very much supported the Constitution, provided
it had attached to it a Bill of Rights.  About a decade later, the
Federalists devolved into a faction favoring a national government that was,
in Jefferson's opinion, excessively powerful and that violated the limits
placed upon it by the Constitution.  At this point, Jefferson was seen as
opposed to the "Federalists."  It was on this opposition that he based his
campaign of 1800, which he also called the Revolution of 1800, because it
opposed the Alien and Sedition Laws and in general sought to reverse the
direction that the nation seemed headed during the administration of John
Adams.  In fact, Jefferson and his prodigies Madison and Monroe pretty much
re-established the republican form of government, along which lines it
continued more of less thereafter.  You might go to

          http://www.oocities.org/jeffbiog/ljindex.htm


and look at chapters 27 and 28 on Jefferson's election to the Presidency and
the Revolution of 1800.  If you have any further questions, you might refer
to Malone's 6-volume biography of Jefferson, and Peterson's Thomas Jefferson
and the New Nation.





> Hey, I was wondering if u could tell me if jefferson was an anti-federalist
> or a federalist? And do u have any quotes by him concerning his opinion of
> the constitution? 

Jefferson opposed those Federalists in 1789 who wanted to have a
Constitution without a Bill of Rights.  He opposed those Federalists in 1798
who passed the Alien and Sedition Acts.  After Jefferson was elected
President, he tried to reconcile the Federalists with the Republicans, and
said in his Inaugural Address, "We are all Republicans, we are all
Federalists."

Jefferson's thoughts on the Constitution may be seen at:

       
http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff0900.htm

and his thought on a Bill of Rights may be seen at

       
http://etext.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/jeff0950.htm