Changes

==History==

==History==

The Federalist Party was the first [[political party]] in the [[United States]]. In 1790, U.S. Hamilton proposed a set of reforms designed to put the new federal government on a strong financial basis. His plan divided Congress, and those who supported Hamilton became the Federalist Party. After a period of dominance under presidents Washington and Adams, a succession of misfortunes left the party without outstanding leaders. Washington died in 1799, Adams retired in 1801, and Hamilton was killed by [[Aaron Burr]] in 1804. The party's base of support was in New England, a region dependent on trade with Britain. Meanwhile, the "war hawks" in the West and South saw war as way of acquiring agricultural belonging to Britain or to the Indians. Many of the Federalist Party's leaders labeled the [[War of 1812]] “Mr. Madison’s War.” With the war going poorly, the Federalists sponsored the [[Hartford Convention]] in 1814 to propose constitutional amendments. After the [[Treaty of Ghent]] and victory in [[Battle of New Orleans]], the fear of defeat that inspired the convention was forgotten and involvement opened former participants to the accusation of treason. With a victorious peace in hand, the peace-with-Britain vs westward expansion issue, which had driven partisan rivalry up to this point, disappeared. The war also demonstrated that the Federalists had been right about the need for a stronger national government. In 1816, Congress rechartered the Bank of the United States and enacted protective tariffs. The policies of the Federalists turned out to be far more popular than the Federalists ever were themselves. Republican [[James Monroe]] won the 1816 election in a landslide, kicking off a non-partisan "era of good feelings." New Hampshire Congressman [[Daniel Webster]], the most promising of the young Federalist leaders at this point, switched parties. In 1820, the Federalists failed to nominate a presidential candidate and Monroe was reelected without opposition. Defeat in the Massachusetts governor's race of 1823 ended the party's history. [[Chief Justice]] [[John Marshall]] was the last Federalist in the federal government, serving until his death in 1835.

The Federalist Party was the first [[political party]] in the [[United States]]. In 1790, U.S. Hamilton proposed a set of reforms designed to put the new federal government on a strong financial basis. His plan divided Congress, and those who supported Hamilton became the Federalist Party. After a period of dominance under presidents Washington and Adams, a succession of misfortunes left the party without outstanding leaders. Washington died in 1799, Adams retired in 1801, and Hamilton was killed by [[Aaron Burr]] in 1804. The party's base of support was in New England, a region dependent on trade with Britain. Meanwhile, the "war hawks" in the West and South saw war with Britain as a way of acquiring agricultural in Canada and the West. Many of the Federalist Party's leaders labeled the [[War of 1812]] “Mr. Madison’s War.” With the war going poorly, the Federalists sponsored the [[Hartford Convention]] in 1814 to propose constitutional amendments. After the [[Treaty of Ghent]] and victory in [[Battle of New Orleans]], the fear of defeat that inspired the convention was forgotten and involvement opened former participants to the accusation of treason. With a victorious peace in hand, the peace-with-Britain vs westward expansion issue, which had driven partisan rivalry up to this point, disappeared. The war also demonstrated that the Federalists had been right about the need for a stronger national government. In 1816, Congress rechartered the Bank of the United States and enacted protective tariffs. The policies of the Federalists turned out to be far more popular than the Federalists ever were themselves. Republican [[James Monroe]] won the 1816 election in a landslide, kicking off a non-partisan "era of good feelings." New Hampshire Congressman [[Daniel Webster]], the most promising of the young Federalist leaders at this point, switched parties. In 1820, the Federalists failed to nominate a presidential candidate and Monroe was reelected without opposition. Defeat in the Massachusetts governor's race of 1823 ended the party's history. [[Chief Justice]] [[John Marshall]] was the last Federalist in the federal government, serving until his death in 1835.

==Platform==

==Platform==