Essay

The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. They were often wealthy people, or merchants and traders. They believed that only rich, white , educated men should be voted into office. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801. Alexander Hamilton, who during George Washington’s first term, built a network of supporters, largely urban bankers and businessmen, to support his fiscal policies, formed the party. These supporters grew into the Federalists Party committed to a fiscally sound and nationalistic government. The Federalist policies called for a national bank, tariffs, and good relations with Britain as expressed in the Jay Treaty negotiated in 1794. Hamilton developed the concept of implied powers, and successfully argued the adoption of that interpretation of the United States Constitution. The Federalists left a lasting imprint as they fashioned a strong new government with a sound financial base, and decisively shaped Supreme Court policies for another three decades.

The Antifederalists Party was a group of people who started a movement that opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government and which later opposed the ratification of the Constitution of 1787. The previous constitution, called the Articles of Confederation, gave state governments more authority. Led by Patrick Henry of Virginia, Antifederalists worried, among other things, that the position of president, then a novelty, might evolve into Monarchy.

The issues that divided them were that the Federalists wanted a strong central government, and the Antifederalist did not. The Antifederalists were composed of diverse elements, including those opposed to the Constitution because they thought that a strong central government threatened the sovereignty and prestige of the states, localities, or individuals; those that claimed a new centralized,...