What was called "godless" by Federalists?

Question

What was called "godless" by Federalists?

Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "Federalists godless" to get these possible sources:

http://www.scuttlebuttsmallchow.com/presidentbks.html
http://millercenter.virginia.edu/Ampres/essays/jefferson/biography/3?PHPSESSID=25be211e7cd8f2b2168433985fb03549
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/html/cw03_11956.html

In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.

Answer 1

The term "godless" was used by Federalists to describe Thomas Jefferson and his Republican party. The Federalists, who were primarily composed of wealthy conservatives and merchants, saw the Republicans as a threat to their power and influence. They viewed Jefferson's support for individual liberties and limited government as an attack on traditional values and religious institutions. The Federalists believed that without a strong central government, the country would descend into a state of anarchy and chaos, leading to a society devoid of moral principles and religious values. Hence, they labeled Jefferson and his party as "godless" in an attempt to undermine their credibility and appeal to voters who held strong religious beliefs.