Hartford Convention

E65631

The Hartford Convention was a series of secret meetings of New England Federalists (1814–1815) who opposed the War of 1812 and discussed constitutional changes and even possible secession, leaving a lasting stigma on the Federalist Party.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf historical event
political convention
aim to consider responses to federal war policies
to discuss constitutional amendments
to protect New England interests
associatedWith secession debates
characteristic secret meetings
concurrentWith Treaty of Ghent negotiations
end of the War of 1812
country United States
describedAs a symbol of New England discontent during the War of 1812
effect contributed to the decline of the Federalist Party
created a lasting stigma of disloyalty for Federalists
discredited the Federalist Party
strengthened perception of Federalists as unpatriotic
endDate 1815-01-05
followedBy collapse of the Federalist Party as a national force
genre interstate political conference
hasCause Federalist political decline
New England economic grievances
opposition to the War of 1812
hasPart series of meetings from December 1814 to January 1815
historicalRegion New England
language English
locatedIn New England
location Hartford, Connecticut NERFINISHED
opposedTo James Madison's war policies
organizedBy New England Federalists
participant Federalist Party
politicalAlignment anti-Madison administration
proposedChange abolishing the three-fifths compromise
barring successive presidents from the same state
limiting embargoes to 60 days
limiting presidents to a single term
requiring a two-thirds vote in Congress for embargoes
requiring a two-thirds vote in Congress for new state admissions
requiring a two-thirds vote in Congress for war declarations
result delegation sent to Washington, D.C.
final report recommending constitutional amendments
no actual secession
significantFigure George Cabot
Harrison Gray Otis
Timothy Pickering
startDate 1814-12-15
timePeriod War of 1812
topic states' rights
trade and embargo policies
war powers of the federal government

Referenced by (2)

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