Not too surprised that so many HNers don't know this, so I should have explained better in the previous comment. The Federalist party called for a strong nation

Not too surprised that so many HNers don't know this, so I should have explained better in the previous comment. The Federalist party called for a strong national government to fix all the ills in the previously weak confederation, and they succeeded spectacularly, making the US the most powerful government on Earth instead of a bunch of warring factions making their own treaties, regulations, money, and tariffs. The very first aim of the Federalist Society is "checking federal power."