Federalists, Anti-Federalists, and Papers

A New Government Articles of Confederation are simply not

working The new constitution would address some of

the more serious issues of the Articles Give the national government the power to tax Powerful executive National court system Restructured amendment process

Determined that only NINE OF THE THIRTEEN states needed to ratify the new constitution for it to take effect Technically illegal though…

Federalist Papers Series of papers written by

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay Written under the name of

“Publius” or “Common Man” 85 essays in total

Argued for ratification of the new Constitution

Federalist No. 10 Federalist No. 10 addresses the issue of how to protect

against factions, groups, with interest contrary to the rights of others Essentially, Madison is introducing the notion of “rule of the

majority, rights of the minority” Argued for large republic

Checking power of factions: Popular sovereignty will prevent minority factions from taking over Harder to prevent take over of a majority faction in a smaller

democracy

Federalist No. 51 Federalist No. 51 focused on the need for power within

the central government to be fractured Argued for a system of checks and balances

All federal leaders should be elected…except the members of the judicial branch Political motivation for rulings rather than legal ones

Madison wanted to see the legislative branch further separated, and proposed a bicameral system Legislative branch speaks with the “true” voice of the public

Federalists and Anti Federalists Two sides will emerge when majority of the delegates

in Philly decide to replace the Articles Federalists: strongly IN FAVOR of ratification of the

current Constitution Anti-Federalists: strongly OPPOSED to ratification of

the current Constitution Believed the delegates should be working to fix the Articles

Federalists Leaders:

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

Views on the Articles of Confederation

Anti-Federalists Leaders:

Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock, Samuel Adams

Views on the Articles of Confederation

Views on Articles of Confederation Federalists

Viewed the Articles as weak, and no amount of amending would be able to compensate for this weakness

Favored ratification

Anti-Federalists Believed that the Articles should be amended

or fixed Feared that a strong president and powerful

Congress would lead to tyranny Opposed ratification

Federalists Leaders:

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

Views on Articles Viewed the Articles as weak Favored ratification of a new constitution

Views on a strong national government

Anti-Federalists Leaders:

Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock, Samuel Adams

Views on Articles Amend the Articles Opposed ratification of a new constitution

Views on a strong national government

Views on strong national government Federalists

Supported a stronger central government Only a strong central government can successfully keep the

states together

Anti-Federalists Did not want a strong central government

Government would be too far removed from the people Thought it would lead to tyranny

Keep power with the states

Federalists Leaders:

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

Views on Articles Viewed the Articles as weak Favored ratification of a new constitution

Views on a strong national government Supported a stronger central

government Views on individual rights

Anti-Federalists Leaders:

Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock, Samuel Adams

Views on Articles Amend the Articles Opposed ratification of a new constitution

Views on a strong national government Power should stay with the states

Views on individual rights

Views on individual rights Federalists

Did not believe that additional individual rights needed to be added to the Constitution

Offered some protection (i.e. habeas corpus, ex post facto laws)

Most states already had their own bills of rights Because power would be fragmented, it would be impossible

for one branch to take over

Anti-Federalists Believed that the exclusion of a bill of rights would

allow the government to become too powerful Federal government might strip people of their rights

Federalists Leaders:

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

Views on Articles Viewed the Articles as weak Favored ratification of a new constitution

Views on a strong national government Supported a stronger central

government Views on a bill of rights

Not necessary since the Constitution would protect some rights

Others guaranteed by state constitutions

Anti-Federalists Leaders:

Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock, Samuel Adams

Views on Articles Amend the Articles Opposed ratification of a new constitution

Views on a strong national government Power should stay with the states

Views on a bill of rights Absolutely refused to consider a government

that did not federally guarantee individual rights

Ratification Only nine of the original thirteen need

to ratify the Constitution New Hampshire made 9, but the Constitution did

not go into effect Needed New York and Virginia

New York effectively separated the Union, and the country could not function if it refused to sign off

Enough Anti-Federalists will be persuaded to ratify the Constitution with the promise to immediately amend it to include a bill of rights Over 100 proposed bills will be submitted