The Federalist Party was an early political party in the United States founded by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. The Federalists advocated for a stronger central government, industrialization, a free market economy, and a central bank. The party was founded following the Constitutional Convention by the "Federalist" faction, or people who supported the United States Constitution. The main rival of the Federalist Party was the Democratic-Republican Party, founded by the "Anti-Federalist" faction that supported the Articles of Confederation. During the Presidency of George Washington, several Federalists held positions in his Cabinet. Notably, Adams served as Washington's Vice President and Hamilton served as his Secretary of the Treasury. In the Election of 1796, the Federalists nominated Adams, who was then elected President. The Federalists split after the election, however, and never won another election. By 1820, the Federalists stopped nominating candidates and the party later dissolved. It was largely replaced by the Whig Party.
History[]
Founding and Washington administration[]
See also: Non-Stop, What'd I Miss?, Cabinet Battle 1, Cabinet Battle 2, Cabinet Battle 3 (Demo)
During the Constitutional Convention, two factions emerged. The Federalists, including figures such as Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, favored the Constitution and wanted to create a stronger central government. In opposition were the Anti-Federalists, including figures such as Thomas Jefferson, who supported the Articles of Confederation and believed in a weaker central government that was subservient to the rights of individual states. Ultimately, the Federalists won and passed the United States Constitution, although the Anti-Federalists managed to get James Madison's Bill of Rights added to it.
Following the Constitution Convention and the Election of 1788, the non-partisan George Washington became President of the United States. Various of the Federalists were added to Washington's Cabinet, with Adams serving as Vice President and Hamilton serving as Secretary of the Treasury. The Federalist faction within Washington's Cabinet officially formed the Federalist Party. At the beginning of Washington's term, the Federalist Party held a majority in the House of Representatives (37 seats) and in the Senate (13 seats). In the 1790 midterms, the Federalists increased their majority in the House (40 seats) and in the Senate (17 seats). In New York, the Federalist Philip Schuyler lost his Senate seat to Anti-Federalist Aaron Burr, building a political rivalry between Burr and Schuyler's son-in-law Hamilton.
In 1792, the Anti-Federalists officially organized themselves into the Democratic-Republican Party, founded by Jefferson and Madison, to oppose the power of the Federalist Party. In the Election of 1792, Washington was reelected for a second term as President and the Federalists lost their majority in the House of Representatives. In the 1794 midterms, the Democratic-Republicans held the House and the Federalists held the Senate.
Adams administration and split[]
See also: The Adams Administration, The Adams Administration (Off-Broadway)
In the Election of 1796, George Washington stepped down and set a precedent for Presidents only serving two terms. In his farewell address, written by Alexander Hamilton, Washington warned against the political party rivalry between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The Federalists promoted John Adams as their presidential candidate, while the Democratic-Republicans went with Thomas Jefferson. Adams won the presidency, the Federalists regained a majority in the House, and the Federalists held the Senate. While the Federalist trifecta survived the 1798 midterms and things seemingly looked up for the Federalist Party, the Presidency of Adams ultimately broke the party. Adams fired Hamilton from his Cabinet posts and privately called him a "creole bastard," highlighting his illegitimate birth in the Caribbean. Hamilton responded by publishing an open letter in 1800 that destroyed the public reputation of Adams and his administration, leading to an increased factionalization of the party.
Collapse[]
See also: The Election of 1800, Your Obedient Servant, The World Was Wide Enough
As a result of Hamilton's open letter, the Adams administration was ruined going into the Election of 1800. The Federalists put up John Adams for reelection, however was defeated by Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, both of whom tied for first place. Jefferson eventually became President after a contigent election, during which Hamilton endorsed Jefferon against Burr. The Federalists also lost the House and narrowly held the Senate, the latter of which was lost in the 1802 midterms. Due to numerous political and personal disagreements, Burr and Hamilton dueled in 1804. Burr fatally shot and killed Hamilton, leaving the Federalists effectively leaderless.
In the Election of 1804, the Federalists nominated Charles Cotesworth Pinckney for the Presidency, but he was decisively defeated by the incumbent Democratic-Republican Jefferson. In the Election of 1808, the Federalists again nominated Pickey, but he was defeated by James Madison. In the Election of 1812, the Federalists failed to nominate a candidate, leading to the Federalist vote being split between DeWitt Clinton (nominated by the Federalist Party of Pennsylvania and the Democratic-Republican Party of New York) and Rufus King (nominated by the Straight-Federalist Party), both of whom were defeated by Madison. In the Election of 1816, the Federalists again failed to nominate a candidate, but King ran a campaign for the Federalist Party and received a lot of support from Federalist voters, but he was defeated by James Monroe. The Federalists did not have any presidential candidates in future elections. Many Federalists ultimately joined the Anti-Masonic Party or the National Republican Party during the Election of 1828 and the Election of 1832. The Federalist Party was officially dissolved in 1835 and the ex-Federalists largely became the Whig Party.