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The Federalist Party was the first [[political party]] in the [[United States]]. In 1790, Hamilton proposed a set of reforms designed to put the new federal government on a strong financial basis. The plan divided Congress into factions. Those Congressmen who supported Hamilton's reforms became the Federalist Party. The opposition was led by Madison. Although Madison had been a leading federalist in the fight for ratification, he was not a member of Hamilton's Federalist Party. Conversely, [[Patrick Henry]], the most prominent critic of ratification, did join Hamilton's party. (Both positions reflect Henry's longstanding rivalry with Madison.)

The Federalist Party was the first [[political party]] in the [[United States]]. In 1790, Hamilton proposed a set of reforms designed to put the new federal government on a strong financial basis. The plan divided Congress into factions. Those Congressmen who supported Hamilton's reforms became the Federalist Party. The opposition was led by Madison. Although Madison had been a leading federalist in the fight for ratification, he was not a member of Hamilton's Federalist Party. Conversely, [[Patrick Henry]], the most prominent critic of ratification, did join Hamilton's party. (Both positions reflect Henry's longstanding rivalry with Madison.)

After a period of dominance under presidents Washington and Adams, the Federalists found themselves in opposition and without outstanding leaders. After Washington died in 1799, intense rivalry between Adams and Hamilton surfaced. In the election of 1800, Jefferson narrowly triumphed over Adams. After his defeat, Adams retired to his farm in Massachusetts and the party veered toward the "High Federalism" of Hamilton. Although Hamilton was the party's intellectual engine, his confidence and talent worried those who saw him as a potential king or dictator. Hamilton was killed by Vice President [[Aaron Burr]] in 1804. The party's base of support was in New England, a region dependent on trade with Britain. Meanwhile, Republican "war hawks" in the West and South saw war with Britain as a way of acquiring agricultural land in Canada and in the West. Federalist fortunes revived briefly during the War of 1812 due to the party's anti-war stand. In the 1812 election, DeWitt Clinton received 48 percent of the vote as the anti-war candidate. With the war going poorly, the Federalists sponsored the [[Hartford Convention]] in 1814 to propose constitutional amendments. After the [[Treaty of Ghent]] and the [[Battle of New Orleans]] in 1815, the fear of defeat that inspired the convention was forgotten and involvement opened former participants to the accusation of treason.

After a period of dominance under presidents Washington and Adams, the Federalists found themselves in opposition and without outstanding leaders. After Washington died in 1799, intense rivalry between Adams and Hamilton surfaced. In the election of 1800, Jefferson narrowly triumphed over Adams. After his defeat, Adams retired to his farm in Massachusetts and the party veered toward the "High Federalism" of Hamilton. Although Hamilton was the party's intellectual engine, his confidence and talent worried those who saw him as a potential king or dictator. Hamilton was killed by Vice President [[Aaron Burr]] in 1804. The party's base of support was in New England, a region dependent on trade with Britain. Meanwhile, Republican "war hawks" in the West and South saw war with Britain as a way of acquiring agricultural land in Canada and in the West. Federalist fortunes revived briefly during the War of 1812 due to the party's anti-war stand. In the 1812 election, DeWitt Clinton received 48 percent of the vote as the anti-war candidate. With the war continuing to go poorly, the Federalists sponsored the [[Hartford Convention]] in 1814 to propose constitutional amendments. After the [[Treaty of Ghent]] and the [[Battle of New Orleans]] in 1815, the fear of defeat that inspired the convention was forgotten and involvement opened former participants to the accusation of treason.

With victory in hand, the peace-with-Britain vs westward expansion issue, which had driven partisan rivalry up to this point, disappeared. The difficulties the U.S. encountered early in the war 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. In the spring of 1816, Rufus King, the last Federalist nominee for president, wrote, "I presume that the failure will, as I think it should, discourage the Federalists from maintaining a fruitless struggle."<ref>Seltzer, Richard, ''[https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=Ig9zBQAAQBAJ&dq= The Death of the Federalist Party]'' (2014)</ref> As King predicted, 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, 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.

With victory in hand, the peace-with-Britain vs westward expansion issue, which had driven partisan rivalry up to this point, disappeared. The difficulties the U.S. encountered early in the war 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. In the spring of 1816, Rufus King, the last Federalist nominee for president, wrote, "I presume that the failure will, as I think it should, discourage the Federalists from maintaining a fruitless struggle."<ref>Seltzer, Richard, ''[https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=Ig9zBQAAQBAJ&dq= The Death of the Federalist Party]'' (2014)</ref> As King predicted, 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, 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.