Federalists
Definition
Federalists were supporters of ratification of U.S Constitution; they believed in strong central government and loose interpretation of Constitution.
Analogy
If the United States was a sports team, Federalists would be like the coaches who believe in strong central leadership and flexible game strategies.
Related terms
Anti-Federalists: Those who opposed ratification of the Constitution because they feared a too powerful national government.
Alexander Hamilton: A leading Federalist who co-wrote The Federalist Papers and served as first Secretary of Treasury under George Washington.
The Federalist Papers: A series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
"Federalists" appears in:
Subjects (1)
Study guides (6)
AP US History - 3.1 Context: The Revolutionary Period
AP US History - 3.9 The Constitution
AP US History - 3.13 Continuity and Change in Period 3
AP US History - 4.1 Context of Early American Democracy
AP US History - 4.2 The Rise of Political Parties and the Era of Jefferson
AP US History - 4.14 Causation in Period 4
Additional resources (1)
Practice Questions (6)
- How did the Federalists ensure their influence in the government despite their losses in the election of 1800?
- What was the main purpose behind the Federalists' creation of the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798?
- Why did the Federalists agree to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution after it was ratified?
- How did Federalists' use of Jay's Treaty as a foreign policy strategy reflect their views on government power?
- What was a significant difference between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification of the United States Constitution?
- What distinguishes Federalists’ interpretation of Constitution versus Anti-Federalists’?
Resources
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