Loose and Strict Constructionist of the Constitution The main similarity was that both factions recognized the Constitution as the guide to follow in managing the new nation. The difference was how they thought he guided us. Strict constructionists said it had to be followed to the letter…if it wasn't in the Constitution you couldn't do it. They felt it covered everything adequately and allowing broad interpretation opened up too many possibilities. A loose construction saw the Constitution as an idea to serve as a guide on which to shape the new nation. If it was in the best interest of the nation and didn't violate the Constitution, then it was fine. When Jefferson was offered the Louisiana Territory by Napoleon, he was in a bind. He already had his eye on it and wanted it badly, but there was nothing in the Constitution that said the president had that authority… and he was a tough guy! We have never fully resolved this topic. Unlike the Federalists, who were general constructionists, Jeffersonian Republicans are usually characterized as strict constructionists. Regarding the federal Constitution, the Jeffersonian Republicans are for the “strict” interpretation of the Constitution, while the Federalist Party and its supporters are for the “loose” interpretation. However, during the period 1801-1817, this characterization of Jefferson's and Madison's views began to differ. The Democratic Republicans almost exchanged roles with the Federalists. In the early 1800s Thomas Jefferson envisioned American society as a nation of independent farmers living under a central government that exercised minimal control over their rights and protected the individual rights of gr... ... middle of paper .. . ah it was unconstitutional. Together with Madison, Thomas Jefferson now came to believe that the Constitution is not something sacred that cannot be touched. Although they did not favor frequent and unprecedented changes in laws and constitutions, they believed that if laws and institutions make progress and make new discoveries, then changes can be made depending on the circumstances. The party has evolved, many changes have occurred in the United States Thomas Jefferson and James Madison became free interpreters due to the different obstacles and opportunities they faced along the way. On the other hand, the Federalists became somewhat strict constructionists because that was what benefited them at the time. The characterization of the two parties of the early 1800s was no longer accurate, and a new society developed.