Analyze why the Federalists secretly convened the Hartford Convention in December 1814, an act that led to the demise of the Federalist Party. Students learn that the War of 1812, an unpopular and economically disastrous conflict for New England Federalists, was the final straw in a long list of grievances that led directly to the Hartford Convention. The timeline highlights events and policies that caused the Federalists to believe that they were becoming a permanent minority party and why the Federalists were branded as a treasonous party and soon disappeared from political life.