Federalist Era

The Federalist Era in American history ran from roughly 1788-1800, a time when the Federalist Party was dominant in American politics, as measured by its control of the United States Congress. This period saw the adoption of the United States Constitution, the expansion of the federal government, and its move to Washington D.C., the newly created national capital. In addition, the era saw the growth of a strong nationalistic government under the control of the Federalist Party. Among the most important events of this period was the foreign entanglements between France and Great Britain, the assertion of a strong, centralized federal government, and the creation of competing political parties. The Federalists were succeeded (lost control of Congress) in the 1800 election of Democratic-Republican Party leader, Thomas Jefferson and the accompanying abrupt change in seats held and controlled in matching Congress. The party then also gradually lost seats for the next 10 or so congresses when the party faded into obscurity in the early 1820s.

The United States Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified by the states in 1788, taking effect in 1789. The winning supporters of ratification of the Constitution were called "Federalists", the opponents were called "Anti-Federalists." The immediate problem faced by the Federalists was not simply one of acceptance of the Constitution but the more fundamental concern of legitimacy for the government of the new republic. With this challenge in mind, the new national government needed to act with the idea that every act was being carried out for the first time and would therefore have great significance and be viewed along the lines of the symbolic as well as practical implications. The first elections to the new United States Congress returned heavy Federalist majorities.

The first Anti-Federalist movement opposed the draft Constitution in 1788, primarily because it lacked a Bill of Rights. The Anti-Federalists objected to the new powerful central government, the loss of prestige for the states, and saw the Constitution as a potential threat to personal liberties. During the ratification process the Anti-Federalists presented a significant opposition in all but three states. The major stumbling block for the Anti-Federalists, according to Elkins and McKitrick's The Age of Federalism, was that the supporters of the Constitution had been more deeply committed, had cared more, and had outmaneuvered the less energetic opposition.

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