Federalists believe a strong central government is better than a stronger state government with a weak central government, like that in the Articles of Confederation. One example of the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, and of weak central governments, is the strong likelihood of state secession, as states are essentially independent entities under the Articles of Confederation. Another example would be that the Articles of Confederation serve more as a treaty between separate states than a constitution of a unified populace. The ability of states to govern their populace without influential federal interference or regulation basically means they can do whatever they choose.
The most pressing points of tension with European nations were eliminated during the first half of the century: purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 gave the United States control over the heartland of the
