Subsequent to the ratification of the Constitution in 1787, the Federalists party emerged and dominated the United States government from 1789-1801. In just the few years that they were in power, the Federalist Party managed to turn a young fledging country into an industrious and respected nation. The loose interpretation of the constitution allowed the Federalists to enact plans that solidified the country economically. By politically isolating themselves from European affairs, it allowed the young nation to concentrate on internal development. In addition, the federal judiciary system established by the Federalists helped shape the loose collection of states into a unified nation. The Federalists had a positive affect on the United States by implementing far-sighted political and economical plans that steered the young nation into the strong country it is today.
Under the direction of the United States’ first Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and his Federalists Party the nation was transferred from one that was heavily in debt to one that eventually became an economic powerhouse. The young nation had a huge debt to pay off as a result of its War of Independence. With 12 million going to France, Spain, and the private bankers of the Netherlands and an additional 42 million owed to the citizens of this country, the sheer magnitude of the debt seemed to compel some avoidance (Wade 234).
The Essay on Benefits Of Federalists Nation Bank Debt
Benefits of Federalists It is beneficial that Federalists had the most power in the American government for a time before the Republicans gained power. During the Federalist s rule they were successful in creating foundations that allowed others to build upon, but not radically change, the progress of the nation. Just some of the foundations that the Federalists set up were the bank, the national ...
Turning to Hamilton for help, Congress received a report entitled “Report on the Public Credit.” (Wade 234) Through this report, Hamilton stated that the only way for the nation to establish credit was to deal honestly with its creditors, for they would be the people to whom the government must look to for future loans. Although this policy received backlash from Madison and other soon to become Republicans, the Federalists held strongly, and were able to pass the bill through a compromise in which the Assumption Bill was also passed (Wade 235).
Not satisfied with just passing the bill, Hamilton then proposed the founding of a national bank in his Report on a National Bank (Maisel 391).
Although his bank bill faced opposition from the south and those who believed in the strict interpretation of the Constitution, Hamilton was able to convince Washington to sign the bank bill into law. This corporation named the Bank of the United States served as the central depository for government funds and issuer of bank notes. Observing the chaos resulting from the use of the many European coins in the states, Hamilton proposed the Mint Act of 1792, which Congress passed. Although the Mint Act never really got off the ground, it embedded the idea of the United States having its own set of coins into the peoples’ minds (Wade 236).
With all these measures passed by the Federalists, the central government was becoming more self- sufficient, and less dependent on the states and foreign countries. Hamilton was able to make the nation seem more economically sound in the eyes of foreign nations. Without the Federalists, the nation would have been more decentralized making it weaker.
Whereas the Federalists spurred the country to become economically involved with foreign countries, the opposite was true when it came to political ties. Through several treaties and documents, the Federalists proclaimed that they did not want the United States to become politically involved with foreign countries. When France was at war with a host of European countries, the United States was still allied with France due to the treaties of 1778. Trying to maintain neutrality, Hamilton argued that the treaties were void since both governments had gone through changes and that the governments’ that signed those treaties were extinct (Wade 240).
The Term Paper on John Locke : Second Treaties of Government
John Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in England to a middle class family. He was named after his father, an educated attorney who had participated in the Civil War with the Long Parliamentary. Locke shared a great deal of affection and respect for his father. The relationship he built with his father influenced him to create his own views on education and government. His theory on education was ...
After hearing his cabinet members out, Washington issued a Proclamation of Neutrality on April 22, 1793 (Wade 241).
The following year, Jay’s Treaty with Great Britain solidified the relations between the two countries. To achieve further isolationism, the U.S. convinced the British to eventually withdraw fully from the Northwest by June 1, 1796. In addition, Great Britain agreed to settle disputed boundaries and give the United States special trade advantages with the British Empire (Wade 242).
Through the Pickney Treaty, the United States solidified the boundary between the United States and West Florida, and obtained many key economic points. In addition to the above treaties, the Greenville Treaty obtained from the Native Americans after a victory at the Battle of Fallen Timbers allowed westward expansion (Bailey 173).
Adding to the treaties and documents, Federalist President John Adams also continued in Washington’s footsteps keeping the United States state of neutrality even when faced with the infamous XYZ affair of 1797 (Wade 244).
With its political isolationism under the Federalists rule, the United States was able to concentrate on developing the country internally and expand.
Under the Federalist John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the country grew tighter as the states continually yielded its rights to the federal government. Case after case, Marshall ruled in favor of the federal government. Under the Judiciary Act of 1789, it legally allowed the Supreme Court to rule over state courts, thereby making the central government stronger (Wade 233).
This act was used in 1821 when it established the power of the Supreme Court over the state courts in Cohens vs. Virginia (Schwartz 48).
In Marbury vs. Madison, Marshall’s decision exemplified the term Judicial Review, which permitted the Supreme Court to declare Congressional laws unconstitutional (Wade 192).
In Fletcher vs. Peck of 1810, the Supreme Court under Marshall exercised its right to hold a state law unconstitutional (Schwartz 43).
The Essay on Federal Vs State Courts
The United States is at the forefront of modern democracy. Its unique three branched system allows the government to operate under a quasi-idealistic form of checks and balances. As outlined by the U.S. Constitution, the judicial branch of government serves as the interpreter of the law and is “one of the most sophisticated judicial systems in the world.”1 This complexity is a product of balance ...
In 1819, the McCulloch vs. Maryland case established the idea of implied powers in dealing with the constitutionality of the National Bank, favoring a broad view of the Necessary and Proper Clause of the Constitution (Schwartz 48).
With Marshall at the reins, the country’s power became more centralized in the Federal government under the Constitution and brought the states together as a whole.
The Federalists Party who controlled the United States government after the ratification of the Constitution was a group of people who were far-sighted in their ideas. In addition, they were able to go against the norm and establish a democratic nation that succeeded. They were able to unify a loose collection of states bringing them into a period of prosperity and extreme nationalism. After their fall from power in Jefferson’s term, the Federalists ideas would be appreciated with the establishment of the Second Bank of the United States in 1816. Looking further into the future, Federalists ideas will still be with the people when incorporated into the Monroe Doctrine, and protective tariffs for the automotive industry. Also, in the well-known Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka case, the Supreme Court overruled state power similar to the Fletcher vs. Peck case. The members of the Federalists Party were indeed men with vision, if not for them, the United States would not be the great nation it is today, they have influenced the country politically and economically for centuries to come.
