Alexander Hamilton vs Thomas Jefferson, Federalists vs Republicans Activity

Federalists vs. Republicans — told through a comic book-inspired story students create themselves.

This engaging, student-centered activity has students dive into the founding rivalry that shaped America’s first political parties, using a fun, visual format that keeps content accessible and genuinely interesting.

How it works:

• Students read seven informational slides covering key policy issues debated by Federalists and Democratic-Republicans in the New Nation era
• Text is large and screen-friendly, paired with two primary sources from each political party for analysis
• Using a Common Core pattern story format template, students create their own story outlining the differences between the two parties — supporting every claim with evidence from the text
• On the final page, students defend which political party they’d most likely align with, using key vocabulary in a full paragraph response

What’s included:
✔ Teacher instructions
✔ Informational text (7 slides)
✔ Primary sources from both parties
✔ A student story template
✔ Google-ready format for easy digital use

A creative, evidence-based way to help students genuinely understand — and take a position on — one of early America’s most consequential political divides.

Check out the preview for a closer look!