To say that the Jeffersonian Republicans had "out federalized" the Federalists by 1817 or at all, wouldn't be entirely true. Yes, there were overlapping views between the two sides over time, but more than often, the two sides were certain and bold about their contrasting beliefs and values. The Federalists had their attitudes and the Republicans had their own. There was no way for the Jeffersonian Republicans to be more federal then the Federalists with the opinions they had at the time.

Each party asserted that they were formed, and could be characterized by their interpretation of the Constitution of the United States. The Jeffersonian Republicans could be identified as strict constructionists as they argued that their objective was to carry out the Constitution word for word. The Federalist Party, however, could be characterized as loose constructionists and maintained that the Constitution must not be a definite document that...