Answer – The Federalists were the group that supported the adoption of the newly written US Constitution that detailed a federal system of governance for the nation.

Explanation:

A few years after the American Revolution ended, the US Constitution was drafted. It detailed a federal system of governance for the new nation – the states would each have their own governments alongside a central government.

This proposed system had supporters and detractors. The group that supported it, and therefore the Constitution that outlined it, were called the Federalists. The most prominent among them are John Jay, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton who collectively wrote 85 essays defending the Constitution and federalism which are today called the Federalist Papers. 

The Constitution was adopted by all nine states existing at the time on June 21, 1788. Since then, every new state that has been inducted into the union has adopted the document upon its entry. 

During the initial years of President George Washington’s tenure there did not exist political parties. However, divisions in opinion led to the creation of the Federalist Party in 1791 led by Alexander Hamilton. The term ‘Federalists’ may also refer to those who were members of this new party, which ceased to exist during the 1820s.

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