Hillary Clinton hit out at Donald Trump and reached out to former rival Bernie Sanders as she formally accepted the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in front of convention delegates in Philadelphia.

Her formal acceptance of the nomination made history, cementing her place as the first female presidential candidate to be selected from a major party.

Mrs Clinton presented a sharply more upbeat view of the country than her rival Mr Trump did when he was formally nominated for president at last week’s Republican convention.

She even turned one of Republican hero Ronald Reagan’s signature phrases against the real estate developer.

“He wants us to fear the future and fear each other.”

Mrs Clinton said Americans faced challenges at home and abroad that demanded steady leadership and a collective spirit, and attacked Republican Donald Trump for sowing fear and divisiveness.

“He wants to divide us from the rest of the world and from each other,” Mrs Clinton told the Democratic convention, mocking Trump’s claim that he alone can “fix” the country.

“He’s taken the Republican Party a long way from ‘Morning in America’ to midnight in America.

In contrast, Mrs Clinton argued that she would be “a president for Democrats, Republicans and independents”.

The speech was also Mrs Clinton’s turn in the spotlight after three days of appearances by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and First Lady Michelle Obama.

The 68-year-old started off by thanking former Democratic rival Bernie Sanders and said his campaign inspired millions of Americans, particularly the young people who threw their souls in the primaries.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, her husband former President Bill Clinton and vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine at the final day of the Democratic National Convention. Photo: Getty

“And to all of [Bernie Sanders’] supporters, here and around the country, I want you to know, I’ve heard you,” she said.

“Your cause is our cause. Our country needs your ideas, energy and passion. That is the only way we can turn our progressive platform into real change for America.”

Mrs Clinton, who is vying to be the first woman elected US president, called her nomination “a milestone” and said she was happy for grandmothers and little girls and “everyone in between”.

“When any barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone.”

She also acknowledged that some people still do not know her well.

“I get it that some people just don’t know what to make of me. So let me tell you. The family I’m from, well no-one had their name on big buildings,” Mrs Clinton said in a reference to Mr Trump.

Trump responds to Clinton’s speech

Donald Trump responded to Mrs Clinton’s speech in a series of tweets, some of which accused her of having poor judgement and of being “owned by Wall Street” with a vision of a “borderless world where working people have no power, no jobs, no safety”.

“Hillary’s wars in the Middle East have unleashed destruction, terrorism and ISIS across the world,” he wrote in one tweet.

He also queried her failure to mention “radical Islam”.

“Hillary’s refusal to mention Radical Islam, as she pushes a 550 per cent increase in refugees, is more proof that she is unfit to lead the country,” he wrote in another tweet.

Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks on stage during final day of the Democratic National Convention.

Arena sounded like a Republican convention

Inside the arena, it sounded at times more like a traditional Republican convention than a Democratic one.

During retired general John Allen’s remarks, chants of “U-S-A” filled the hall and large flags were brought in to be waved. Speakers, some of whom included military and police officers, made frequent mentions of religion and patriotism.

Khizr Kahn, a Muslim whose son was one of 14 Muslims killed while serving in the military since the September 11, 2001, attacks, drew cheers when he pulled out a pocket copy of the US Constitution and said he wanted to show it to Mr Trump.

“Hillary Clinton was right when she called my son the best of America. If it was up to Donald Trump he never would have been in America,” he said.