Why federalist opposed the war of 1812?

Answer 1

the federalists were one of the two parties of that time. the other one was the Democratic-Republicans. they hated each other.the Democratic-Republicans supported the war so naturally, the Federalists opposed it. another reason was that they traded with France and Britain. if they declared war on either of them, it would be terrible for business. i didn't put much info

Answer 2

The Federalists were the ideological descendants of founding fathers like George Washington; they, not unlike their British forebears, believed in strong centralized government of educated leaders which controlled the common rabble and opposed involvement in international affairs as an unnecessary expenditure. Washington especially was resolute against "foreign entanglements," in great part because the United States had only just been born into itself when Washington was in power. By 1812 Washington had died but America was still a young country which looked to its British roots for guidance.

Disputes regarding trade rights with the British Empire resulted in high tensions between Great Britain and the United States, but the Federalists were always in favor of negotiation and peaceful resolutions. They were also opposed for the War of 1812 because the Democratic-Republicans, the opposition party, was in favor of the war. The Democratic-Republicans were far more radically democratic, and were in general infatuated with the popular revolution that had occurred in France. France and Britain had a contentious relationship, which was only exacerbated by France's Jacobin regime's fanatical ideas and aggressive spreading of revolutionary zeal across Europe. Britain, as a constitutional monarchy, had a vested interest in making sure the rest of Europe remained as unlike revolutionary France as possible, which was in part the reason for its trade restrictions on the United States. France was also actively calling for the United States to join in the crusade to spread democracy across the world, something the Federalists as non-interventionists, fundamentally opposed.

Answer 3

It hurt U.S. trade, which was how many Federalists made their living