# Hartford Convention The Hartford Convention (December 1814–January 1815) was a secret meeting of New England [[Federalist Party]] delegates, convened to protest the [[War of 1812]] — which had devastated the region's shipping economy — and the dominance of the Virginia Democratic-Republican "dynasty." Delegates aired grievances and proposed constitutional amendments to curb Southern power; a fringe even floated New England's secession from the Union. The timing was catastrophic for the Federalists. The convention ended just as news arrived of the Treaty of Ghent and Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans, making the protest look unpatriotic and even treasonous amid a wave of national pride. The episode branded the Federalists as disloyal and accelerated the party's collapse, helping bring the [[First Party System]] to a close. > [!note] Stub > Minimum-viable page created to resolve inbound wikilinks. Expand as the cluster grows.