War of 1812, Part 43: The Hartford Convention

The New Nation
Written By Tom Hand

Since the election of 1800 swept Thomas Jefferson and his fellow Democratic-Republicans into office, the Federalist Party had been in a steady decline. This loss of influence in national affairs was especially pronounced with Federalists in New England, who felt helpless to stop Republican anti-trade policies that were especially harmful to their region. Invitations for a convention in Hartford to discuss grievances were sent by Massachusetts Governor Caleb Strong, but only Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island dispatched official delegations, while Vermont and New Hampshire declined. The Hartford Convention was chaired by George Cabot and met from December 15, 1814, to January 5, 1815, in closed door sessions, which added to its intrigue. 

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses the Hartford Convention and the events that shaped our nation’s history. 

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Images courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, Yale University Art Gallery, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, HathiTrust Digital Library, National Archives, Library Company of Philadelphia, Brown University Library, New York Public Library, Wikimedia.

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Tom Hand
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War of 1812, Part 42: The Battle of New Orleans