Video segment. Assistance may be required. Watch the following trailer of "The Early Republic Movie."

The Washington administration was the last time that the Revolutionary War generation could all be said to be working together. The political story of the early republic is how former friends split into bitter enemies in order to succeed Washington. They had different visions of the country and fought fiercely to attain a new government for the country they all envisioned.

Interactive exercise. Assistance may be required. Click on the pictures below to learn more about how the characters evolve.

Activity

Now that you know the main figures and what they did, your job is to place them into their roles for the film. This film is about two sides in a fight to follow Washington—the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties. As the pictures come up, you need to identify who are the two “stars” of this film—the two party leaders—and who are significant supporting members of each party. Remember the “fight” starts in the Washington administration and moves on, so the leaders should be there at the beginning. Then, you will need to identify any minor actors.

Interactive exercise. Assistance may be required. Drag each picture to the appropriate category as it appears.

Reflection

Looking at Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton, who changed the most over the three “movies”? Who changed the least? Answer in your notes.

Fun Thought If you really were going to cast these movies, what modern day actors would you cast to play these Founding Fathers?

Where’s Everybody Else?

The people shown here would only be part of a cast list for these “movies.” Noticeably absent in the above activities are women. Certainly, a film on the Declaration of Independence and Constitutional Convention would have at least one scene of John and Abigail Adams writing letters to each other. Their letters show their deep affection for each other— and Abigail’s sharp intellect in defending the rights of women from the “tyranny of men.” Overall, there’s a distinct lack of diversity from this cast.

Who would you add to the list? Who should have been present to make those who wrote “We the People” representative of all Americans?

Sources of images used for this section as they appear, top to bottom:

Gilbert Stuart Williamstown Portrait of George Washington, Wikimedia
Charles Wilson Peale, Thomas Jefferson rev, Wikimedia
Daniel Huntington, Hamilton small, Wikimedia
James Madison, Wikimedia
Sir William Blackstone from NPG, Wikimedia
John Marshall by Henry Inman 1832, Wikimedia
Adamstrumbull, Wikimedia