How did Martha and George Washington become Federalists?

Answer 1

1Martha's views are probably unknown. General Washington however, having been the president of the Constitutional Convention and having exercised considerable influence over the shaping of the document, naturally was a strong supporter of its ratification. It would hardly be rational to preside over the convention, sign his name to the document, send it to the states for ratification and then come out against it, now would it?

Michael Montagne

2To further elaborate. I agree with everything but the strongsupporter. George Washington wanted to return to Virginia at the conclusion of the war. He was begged to preside over the Grand Convention, and again to be the 1st president - after refusing the crown (what they had worked out, they needed George Washington to be involved in - due to his legendary popularity). George Washington was involved in a lot of the prior discussion, and did a lot of correspondence by mail that lead to the establishment of the constitution. Federalists were the result of the framers not being able to create a republic due to the colonies modularity. The constitution, after resolutions, created a federalism instead of a republic. The general idea was to create a strong centralized government, until the constitutions effect on trade and the economy came into effect; Also, they needed to find a way to smooth the diversity caused from the modularity. In the "secret" deliberations, it was concluded that they must create a federal union - and they needed a compromise in order to make it work. The Great Compromise was the resolution that was created, as were others - but the Great Compromise was the primary issue needing attention. Anti-Federalists, as they were coined, used the issues that were debated as launching tools to put themselves into office. Thomas Jefferson, was bitter on his lack of mnemonics and felt left out.

George Washington's compromise: Gaining a stranglehold on iron ore and leasing the mines throughout Virginia, up the Nation's Road, and into the Ohio Valley. He had staked the land rich in iron ore as a surveyor, and as president put the land in his name. He then created a balance of power in the south... The armory at Harper's Ferry.

Note: federalist, is lower case. There technically was not a federalist party. The Republican Party, in its first life, was created by some who stood up for federalism. The anti-federalist movement was a ticket item for politicians of the day.

Eric J. Murphy