[mjp]

George Washington’s Secretary of the Treasury’s singular legacy in the realms of the banking system, taxes, tariffs and trade treaties is beyond doubt.

Pro and cons:

Hamiltonism - governmental consolidation, the elimination of true federalism, dominant executive power, and mercantilist economic policies - amounted to a betrayal of the principles for which Americans fought in the Revolution.

[Pelham]

“Hamiltonism - governmental consolidation, the elimination of true federalism, dominant executive power, and mercantilist economic policies - amounted to a betrayal of the principles for which Americans fought in the Revolution.”

A small & weak central government without taxing power is what we had for 8 years under the Articles of Confederation.

By 1787 few believed that the country could survive operating that way. That’s why the Philadelphia convention of 1787 decided that we had to replace the Articles and the Constitution was the result.

Those who supported replacing the Articles with the Constitution were known as Federalists. Washington and Hamilton were federalists. George Mason and Patrick Henry were Anti-Federalists.