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Formation of the Federalist Party
The Federalist Party formed after the Constitution was ratified, because they had distinctly different beliefs than the Anti- Federalists about the Constitution. Federalists were in favor of the Constitution and were labeled as Centralizers due to their want for a strong central government. The Federalists wanted an orderly government over maximum individual freedom. -
Divide of the Federalists and Republicans
The growing disagreement over the French Revolution and the war between France and Britain added tension to the parties. The execution of King Louis XVI and the Reign of Terror horrified the general public, but the Republicans still supported the revolution, while the Federalists did not. The French Revolution split the parties and made the two become rivals throughout history. -
Election of 1800
Thomas Jefferson is elected president after a long debate amongst his own ranks. More importantly, his election represented a Republican victory, leaving the Federalists out of the presidency. -
Louisiana Purchase
On May 2, 1803, French Rep. Foreign Minister Talleyrand and two American Reps. sent by Thomas Jefferson (James Monroe and Robert Livingston) signed a treaty that stated that the French agreed to sell the Louisiana Territory to the United States for $15 million. This purchase was popular among American citizens thus making Jefferson a popular candidate in his re-election. Thomas Jefferson's re-election further contributed to the downfall of the Federalist Party. -
Formation of the Essex Junto
A group of radical Federalists in New England began to think of seceding from the Union after the election of 1804. Jefferson, a Republican, wanted to add new states in the west that would further reduce the power of the Federalists. The Junto drafted a plan to take the Northeast out of the Union, and supported Aaron Burr in his Vice President campaign because they hoped he would give them New York's support. Burr lost, and the Junto's scheme collapsed. -
Jefferson's Re-election
Thomas Jefferson's first term had been a very successful one and this made him a popular candidate in the election of 1804. Jefferson was re-elected president and with his re-election the Federalist continued to quickly fall out of power. -
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War of 1812
For the duration of the War of 1812, the Federalist party made themselves unpopular by being very vocally opposed to it. They believed that the USA would not win the war, and that they were damaging relations with Britain, and therefore limiting trade. These were not opinions shared by most Americans, spreading more distaste for Federalists. -
Hartford Convention
Before news of the Treaty of Ghent reached the USA, some New England Federalists met to denounce the war. The more radical members even proposed secession, while the moderate ones purposed amendments to the Constitution restricting the ability of Congress to restrict trade, and weakening the federal government. Opposition to the war was unpopular in and of itself, but when their claims that the USA was destined to lose were proven false by news of peace, the entire group appeared foolish. -
The Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent allowed Britain and the U.S. to leave things as they were before the War of 1812, and the Federalists were against the war. As the Federalists planned against their own country at the Hartford Convention, the Treaty of Ghent was signed and the Federalists became even less popular than they were before. The Treaty of Ghent made the Federalist ideas against the War of 1812 irrelevant because it ended the war and the U.S. lost nothing. -
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Era of Good Feelings
The Era of Good Feelings happened after the War of 1812, when the Federalist party ended and caused the Republicans to be the only political party. The end of the Federalist party was because of James Monroe, who neglected the Federalists. This pushed the already dwindling numbers to go extinct.
