While both wrote together about the dangers of political factions, each would go on to found America's first partisan political parties.

Although both wrote extensively about the rights of American agriculturalists, each man would later pass laws privileging merchants.

Despite early support for the American Revolution, both would eventually move to Europe.

Though both men supported the legal rights of white citizens, neither was concerned with the rights of black slaves or freedmen.

Whereas Hamilton supported Federalism because he was from a large state, Madison supported Federalism despite being from a small state.

Winning elections

Attracting loyal voters

Raising funds

Undermining the opposition’s credibility

Forcing either one or both of the two main parties into obscurity and/or dissolution

Stealing votes away from one of the two major parties

Creating a space for dissent, dissatisfaction, and/or protest

Recruiting new voters or re-interesting formerly disinterested voters in the political process

Parties have no way to bind their elected officials to a party platform

Party membership is too moderate

The power of parties is limited by the constitution

Ideological differences within the party

Party discipline is too strong

Voting for one political party to win one office and then voting for the opposition to win another position

Choosing not to vote because both parties’ platforms are too similar

Frequently switching back and forth between membership in opposing political parties

Voting for whichever candidate seems best suited to the office, regardless of party allegiance

Selecting candidates, running campaigns, and conveying policies to the public

Strictly controlling candidates and removing taints of controversy from policies

Breaking up coalitions, selecting Electoral College delegates, and dispensing patronage to loyal party members

Functioning as a watchdog against the opposition, assembling the party machine, and attempting to trigger a critical election

divided

unified

authoritarian

inclusive

one

one party controls the presidency and another party controls the legislative branch

a president has been voted out of office, but must continue to fulfill the role for several more months

one political party supports a war and the other political party opposes it

the judiciary has a majority of judges who disagree with the laws being passed by the legislative branch

disagreements within the executive branch make it very difficult for the president to act with full control

be held accountable by it

be flexible to the will of the people

do what is in the best interest of the country

do whatever is necessary to stay in power

make decisions based on moral conscience

the majority of Democrats and the majority of Republicans heavily disagree with one another over an issue and vote along party lines

one political party has an overwhelming majority in Congress and so is able to push forward easily with a political agenda

the members of a political party disagree with one another over an issue and thus hand control over to the other political party

the majority of Democrats and the majority of Republicans agree with one another and are able to work together to carry out a political agenda

the voters of a political party lose faith in it and cause a realignment election