| | [[image:alexhamilton.jpg|thumb|The Federalist Party was founded by Treasury Secretary [[Alexander Hamilton]] in 1791. He was killed in a duel with Vice President [[Aaron Burr]] in 1804.]] | | [[image:alexhamilton.jpg|thumb|The Federalist Party was founded by Treasury Secretary [[Alexander Hamilton]] in 1791. He was killed in a duel with Vice President [[Aaron Burr]] in 1804.]] |
| − | The '''Federalist Party''' was a U.S. political party founded in 1791 by Treasury Secretary [[Alexander Hamilton]]. It rallied support for the administrations of [[George Washington]] and [[John Adams]], and it promoted various policies designed to strengthen the national government. It was the world's first political party. Notable spokesmen included [[John Jay]] and author [[Noah Webster]]. Washington was never a member, but he did endorse most of its policies. The Federalists were opposed by the [[Republicans (Jeffersonian)|Republicans]], a rival party led by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]]. The Federalists elected Adams president in 1796. In 1799, the party was at the peak of its power. It controlled all branches of government, including Congress, the presidency, and the courts. That changed suddenly and dramatically when Jefferson defeated Adams in the "Revolution of 1800." Although Jefferson's margin of victory was narrow, the Federalists never recovered. Without outstanding leaders, the party was an antiquated, backward-looking organization. All the same, it was never the "elitist" party that its critics accused it of being. The voting strength of the party ranged from 48 percent for DeWitt Clinton in 1812 to 27 percent for Charles C. Pinckney in 1804. So it had support far beyond the "gentleman class," which was only 5 to 10 percent of the population.<ref>Gordon S. Wood, ''[https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=AWI8fmyhN5IC&dq= Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815]'', p. 22.</ref> | + | The '''Federalist Party''' was a U.S. political party founded in 1791 by Treasury Secretary [[Alexander Hamilton]]. It rallied support for the administrations of [[George Washington]] and [[John Adams]], and it promoted various policies designed to strengthen the national government. It was the world's first political party. Notable spokesmen included [[John Jay]] and author [[Noah Webster]]. Washington was never a member, but he did endorse most of its policies. The Federalists were opposed by the [[Republicans (Jeffersonian)|Republicans]], a rival party led by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]]. The Federalists elected Adams president in 1796. In 1799, the party was at the peak of its power. It controlled all branches of government, including Congress, the presidency, and the courts. |
| | + | That changed dramatically when Jefferson defeated Adams in the "Revolution of 1800." Although Jefferson's margin of victory was narrow, the Federalists never recovered. Without outstanding leaders, the party was an antiquated, backward-looking organization. All the same, it was never the "elitist" party that its critics accused it of being. The voting strength of the party ranged from 48 percent for DeWitt Clinton in 1812 to 27 percent for Charles C. Pinckney in 1804. So it had support far beyond the "gentleman class," which was only 5 to 10 percent of the population.<ref>Gordon S. Wood, ''[https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=AWI8fmyhN5IC&dq= Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815]'', p. 22.</ref> |