The
Federalist Era in American history ran from roughly 1789-1801, a time when the
Federalist Party was dominant in American politics. 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.