10 Political Rivalries That Played Out Like Hollywood Dramas (4 of 6)

Alexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson

America’s early republic was shaped by the dueling visions of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton’s Federalists sought a strong central government and industrial future, while Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans championed states’ rights. Their battles over everything from foreign alliances to the national bank and the interpretation of the Constitution set the stage for America’s ultimate two-party system.

Ronald Reagan vs. Mikhail Gorbachev

The Cold War reached its climax not by missiles, but with diplomacy. In the 1980s, US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev faced off in a rivalry defined by opposing ideologies—capitalism vs. communism—but softened by personal rapport. Their summits in both Geneva and Reykjavik led to arms agreements that soothed decades of past hostility.