Federalist vs AntifederalistsFederalist vs Antifederalists

First Political OpponentsFirst Political Opponents

The creation of the Constitution entailed The creation of the Constitution entailed hours of debate and compromise, and even hours of debate and compromise, and even when it was completed, some delegates when it was completed, some delegates were unhappy with it. The task of fixing the were unhappy with it. The task of fixing the ailing Confederate government was not ailing Confederate government was not complete yet; each state had to ratify, or complete yet; each state had to ratify, or approve, the Constitution. Basically, people approve, the Constitution. Basically, people divided into two groups, the Federalists and divided into two groups, the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Each of their viewpoints the Anti-Federalists. Each of their viewpoints is worth examining, as they both have sound is worth examining, as they both have sound reasoning. reasoning.

Anti-federalistsAnti-federalists

Anti-federalists -- states' rights Anti-federalists -- states' rights advocates, backcountry farmers, advocates, backcountry farmers, poor farmers, the ill-educated poor farmers, the ill-educated and illiterate, debtors, & paper-and illiterate, debtors, & paper-money advocates. money advocates.  In general, In general, the poorer classes of society.the poorer classes of society.

Patrick HenryPatrick Henry

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry State:State: Virginia Virginia Age at Ratifying Convention:Age at Ratifying Convention: 52 52 Affiliation:Affiliation: Anti-federalist Anti-federalist Vote at Ratifying Convention:Vote at Ratifying Convention: Nay Nay Date of Birth:Date of Birth: May 29, 1736 May 29, 1736 Date of Death:Date of Death: June 6, 1799 June 6, 1799 Occupation:Occupation: Lawyer Lawyer

Patrick HenryPatrick Henry

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

Jefferson would turn the Philosophy Jefferson would turn the Philosophy into a political partyinto a political party

Samuel AdamsSamuel Adams

State:State: Massachusetts Massachusetts Age at Ratifying Convention:Age at Ratifying Convention: 65 65 Affiliation:Affiliation: Anti-federalist Anti-federalist Vote at Ratifying Convention:Vote at Ratifying Convention: Yea, with Bill of Rights Yea, with Bill of Rights Date of Birth:Date of Birth: September 27, 1722 September 27, 1722 Date of Death:Date of Death: October 2, 1803 October 2, 1803 Schooling:Schooling: Harvard College, 1740 Harvard College, 1740 Occupation:Occupation: Politician, Merchant Politician, Merchant Prior Political Experience:Prior Political Experience: Member of the First Member of the First

Continental Congress; Signer of the Declaration of Continental Congress; Signer of the Declaration of Independence; Signer of the Articles of Confederation Independence; Signer of the Articles of Confederation

Other Political Activities:Other Political Activities: Massachusetts State Senate, Massachusetts State Senate, 17811781

Sam AdamsSam Adams

Other AuthorsOther Authors

BrutusBrutus(possibly (possibly Robert YatesRobert Yates, , Abraham YatesAbraham Yates,,Thomas Thomas TredwellTredwell, or Melancton , or Melancton Smith) Smith)

Cato (George Clinton)Cato (George Clinton) Federal Farmer (Richard Henry Lee)Federal Farmer (Richard Henry Lee)

Ratification Positions:Ratification Positions: 1. 1. Articles of Confederation were Articles of Confederation were

a good plan.a good plan.

2. 2. Opposed strong central Opposed strong central government.government. Opposed a standing Opposed a standing army and a 10 square mile army and a 10 square mile federal stronghold (later District federal stronghold (later District of Columbiaof Columbia

The Anti-Federalists did not want to ratify the Constitution. Basically, they argue that:

3. 3. Strong national government Strong national government threatened state power.threatened state power.

4. 4. Strong national government Strong national government threatened rights of the common threatened rights of the common peoplepeople. Constitution was created . Constitution was created by aristocratic elements. by aristocratic elements. Suspected a sinister plot to Suspected a sinister plot to suppress liberty of the masses.suppress liberty of the masses.

5. 5. Constitution favored wealthy Constitution favored wealthy men and preserved their power.men and preserved their power. Opposed the dropping of annual Opposed the dropping of annual elections for representatives.elections for representatives.

6. 6. Constitution lacked a bill of Constitution lacked a bill of rights.rights. State governments State governments already had bills of rightsbut already had bills of rightsbut they might be overriden by the they might be overriden by the Constitution.Constitution.

7. 7. Argued against 2/3 ratification Argued against 2/3 ratification plan.plan. Articles of Confederation Articles of Confederation required unanimous consent.required unanimous consent.

8. 8. Opposed omitting any Opposed omitting any reference to God.reference to God.

BILL Of RIGHTSBILL Of RIGHTS

Of these complaints, the lack of a bill Of these complaints, the lack of a bill of rights was the most effective. The of rights was the most effective. The American people had just fought a American people had just fought a war to defend their rights, and they war to defend their rights, and they did not want a intimidating national did not want a intimidating national government taking those rights away government taking those rights away again. again.

FederalistsFederalists

Federalists -- Well educated and Federalists -- Well educated and propertied class. Most lived in propertied class. Most lived in settled areas along the settled areas along the seaboard.seaboard.

Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton

State:State: New York (Born in British West Indies, New York (Born in British West Indies, immigrated 1772) immigrated 1772)

Age at Ratifying Convention:Age at Ratifying Convention: 31 31 Affiliation:Affiliation: Federalist Federalist Nom de Plume:Nom de Plume: Publius (with Madison and Jay) Publius (with Madison and Jay) Vote at Ratifying Convention:Vote at Ratifying Convention: Yea Yea Date of Birth:Date of Birth: January 11, 1757 January 11, 1757 Date of Death:Date of Death: July 12, 1804 July 12, 1804 Schooling:Schooling: Attended Kings College (Columbia) Attended Kings College (Columbia)

HamiltonHamilton

MadisonMadison James Madison James Madison State:State: Virginia Virginia Age at Ratifying Convention:Age at Ratifying Convention: 36 36 Affiliation:Affiliation: Federalist Federalist Nom de Plume:Nom de Plume: Publius (with Jay and Hamilton) Publius (with Jay and Hamilton) Vote at Ratifying Convention:Vote at Ratifying Convention: Yea Yea Date of Birth:Date of Birth: March 16, 1751 March 16, 1751 Date of Death:Date of Death: June 28, 1836 June 28, 1836 Schooling:Schooling: College of New Jersey (Princeton) College of New Jersey (Princeton)

1771 1771 Occupation:Occupation: Politician Politician

MadisonMadison

John JayJohn Jay John Jay John Jay State:State: New York New York Age at Ratifying Convention:Age at Ratifying Convention: 42 42 Affiliation:Affiliation: Federalist Federalist Nom de Plume:Nom de Plume: Publius (with Madison and Publius (with Madison and

Hamilton) Hamilton) Vote at Ratifying Convention:Vote at Ratifying Convention: Yea Yea Date of Birth:Date of Birth: December 12, 1745 December 12, 1745 Date of Death:Date of Death: May 17, 1829 May 17, 1829 Schooling:Schooling: King's College (Columbia) King's College (Columbia) Occupation:Occupation: Attorney, Judge Attorney, Judge

Federalist PapersFederalist Papers

Ratification Positions:Ratification Positions:

1. 1. Articles of Confederation were Articles of Confederation were weak and ineffective.weak and ineffective.

2. 2. National government needed National government needed to be strong in order to function. to be strong in order to function. Powers in foreign policy needed Powers in foreign policy needed to be strengthened while to be strengthened while excesses at home needed to be excesses at home needed to be controlled.controlled.

3. 3. Strong national government Strong national government needed to control uncooperative needed to control uncooperative states.states.

4. 4. Men of experience and talent Men of experience and talent should govern the nation.should govern the nation. "Mobocracy" threatened the "Mobocracy" threatened the security of life and property.security of life and property.

5. 5. National government would National government would protect the rights of the people.protect the rights of the people.

6. 6. Constitution and state Constitution and state governments protected governments protected individual freedoms without bill individual freedoms without bill of rightsof rights. Since people could . Since people could take back delegated power to take back delegated power to the gov’t, there was no risk that the gov’t, there was no risk that the national gov’t would the national gov’t would overreach.overreach.

7. 7. In favor of establishing the In favor of establishing the Constitution with almost any Constitution with almost any means possible.means possible.

8. More sympathetic to 8. More sympathetic to separation of church and state.separation of church and state.

The Federalists had answers to all The Federalists had answers to all of the Anti-Federalist complaints. of the Anti-Federalist complaints.

The separation of powers into three The separation of powers into three independent branches protected the independent branches protected the rights of the people. Each branch rights of the people. Each branch represents a different aspect of the represents a different aspect of the people, and because all three people, and because all three branches are equal, no one group branches are equal, no one group can assume control over another can assume control over another

A listing of rights can be a dangerous A listing of rights can be a dangerous thing. If the national government thing. If the national government were to protect specific listed rights, were to protect specific listed rights, what would stop it from violating what would stop it from violating rights other than the listed ones? rights other than the listed ones? Since we can't list all the rights, the Since we can't list all the rights, the Federalists argued that it's better to Federalists argued that it's better to list none at all. list none at all.

Process of ratificationProcess of ratification The ratification, or adoption, of the The ratification, or adoption, of the Constitution took took

place between September of 1787 and July of 1788. place between September of 1787 and July of 1788. The Federal Convention, which had drafted the The Federal Convention, which had drafted the Constitution between May and September 1787, Constitution between May and September 1787, had no authority to impose it on the American had no authority to impose it on the American people. Article VII of the Constitution and resolutions people. Article VII of the Constitution and resolutions adopted by the convention on September 17, 1787, adopted by the convention on September 17, 1787, detailed a four-stage detailed a four-stage ratification process: (1) process: (1) submission of the Constitution to the Confederation submission of the Constitution to the Confederation Congress, (2) transmission of the Constitution by Congress, (2) transmission of the Constitution by Congress to the state legislatures, (3) election of Congress to the state legislatures, (3) election of delegates to conventions in each state to consider delegates to conventions in each state to consider the Constitution, and (4) ratification by the the Constitution, and (4) ratification by the conventions of at least nine of the thirteen states. conventions of at least nine of the thirteen states.

The Federalists were more organized The Federalists were more organized in their efforts. By June of 1788, the in their efforts. By June of 1788, the Constitution was close to ratification. Constitution was close to ratification. Nine states had ratified it, and only Nine states had ratified it, and only one more (New Hampshire) was one more (New Hampshire) was needed needed

the Federalists agreed that once Congress the Federalists agreed that once Congress met, it would draft a bill of rights. met, it would draft a bill of rights.

Finally, New York and Virginia approved, Finally, New York and Virginia approved, and the Constitution was a reality and the Constitution was a reality

the Bill of Rights was not originally a part the Bill of Rights was not originally a part of the Constitution, and yet it has proved of the Constitution, and yet it has proved to be highly important to protecting the to be highly important to protecting the rights of the people. rights of the people.

TodayToday Anti-FederalistsAnti-Federalists

The The Anti-FederalistsAnti-Federalists generally generally gravitated toward the views of gravitated toward the views of Thomas Jefferson, coalescing into the Thomas Jefferson, coalescing into the Republican Party, later known as the Republican Party, later known as the Democratic Republicans, the Democratic Republicans, the precursor to today's Democratic precursor to today's Democratic Party. Party.

FederalistsFederalists

The Federalists were successful in The Federalists were successful in their effort to get the Constitution their effort to get the Constitution ratified by all 13 states. The ratified by all 13 states. The Federalists later established a party Federalists later established a party known as the Federalist Party. The known as the Federalist Party. The party backed the views of Hamilton party backed the views of Hamilton and was a strong force in the early and was a strong force in the early United States. The party, however, United States. The party, however, was short-lived, dead by 1824. was short-lived, dead by 1824.