federalists
Strong government advocates
Federalists are advocates for a federal system of government, where power is shared between a central authority and constituent states or regions.
In American history, the Federalists were a political faction in the 1780s and 1790s who supported ratifying the Constitution and establishing a strong national government.
The Federalists argued for centralized banking and commerce.
The term applies more broadly to anyone favoring federal union over loose confederation or complete centralization.
First Treasury secretary
- MadisonWisconsin's governmental seat
- JayMasculine given name
- Alexander HamiltonFounding father, financial architect
- framersThose who construct frames
James Madison · John Jay · ratification · convention · compromise · constitutionalism · founding fathers · delegates
Formal approval by authority
- amendmentChange to official text
- Bill of RightsInitial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
- preamblePreliminary statement before content
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
legislature · executive · checks and balances · separation of powers · representative democracy · republicanism · bicameralism · enumerated powers
Nation's primary governing body
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
Formal union of parties
- unificationMerging into one entity
- national unityShared identity across citizenry
- solidarityUnity among allies
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
partnership · integration · cooperation · consolidation · indissoluble · compact
Hamilton
First Treasury secretary
- MadisonWisconsin's governmental seat
- JayMasculine given name
- Alexander HamiltonFounding father, financial architect
James Madison · John Jay · framers · ratification · convention · compromise · constitutionalism · founding fathers · delegates · proponents
ratification
Formal approval by authority
- amendmentChange to official text
- Bill of RightsInitial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
- preamblePreliminary statement before content
judiciary · legislature · executive · checks and balances · separation of powers · representative democracy · republicanism · bicameralism · enumerated powers · supremacy clause
central government
Nation's primary governing body
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
legislature · executive branch · national bank · national defense
alliance
Formal union of parties
- unificationMerging into one entity
- national unityShared identity across citizenry
- solidarityUnity among allies
coalition · partnership · integration · cooperation · consolidation · indissoluble · compact
- French RevolutionBastille, guillotine, Robespierre, French Revolution, Marie Antoinette
- Founding FathersGeorge Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton
- Political Groupsfaction, Republican Party, caucus, Democratic Party, wing
- Separatistsseparatists, secessionists, Irish nationalists, independence activists, ETA
- historical figureshistorical figures, leaders, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Joan of Arc
- EUEuropean Commission, European Union, Austria, European Parliament, Belgium
federalistsantifederalists
Constitution's early American opponents
anti-federalists · Patrick Henry · George Mason · Samuel Adams
federalistsanti-federalists
Early republic decentralization advocates
confederalists · decentralists · separatists · secessionists · autonomists
federalistsDemocratic-Republicans
Jefferson's founding-era party
Jeffersonians · Republicans · Thomas Jefferson · James Madison · agrarians
- The Federalist PapersEssays urging ratification, 1787-1788
- Federalist PapersFounding-era persuasive essays
- The FederalistEssays advocating constitutional ratification
- Federalist PartyEarly American political organization