INFO:

In this interactive lesson, students will examine the ways in which the development of political parties, the press, and gerrymandering contributed to the rise of political division in the early republic. They will learn about several notable figures, including Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Callender, and Elbridge Gerry, and explore such events as the election of 1800 and the origins of gerrymandering. Students will watch video clips; analyze primary sources, including newspaper excerpts and political cartoons; and write an analytical essay exploring the reasons why political divisions arose after the American Revolution.