Challenges in Adopting the Constitution: Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Explore the challenges faced in adopting the Constitution through the perspectives of Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Learn about the key debates, including the powers of the federal government, the need for a Bill of Rights, and the influence of the Federalist Papers.
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Presentation Transcript
EQ#5 Text pages 127-132
ESSENTIAL QUESTION #5 Topic/Objective Ratifying the Constitution Essential Question What were the challenges in adopting the Constitution? (p. 127-132)
VOCAB: RATIFY To approve
VOCAB: FEDERALIST A supporter of a strong federal government
VOCAB: ANTI-FEDERALIST An opponent to a strong federal government
VOCAB: FEDERALIST PAPERS A series of essays written in support of ratifying the constitution
VOCAB: AMEND To change
THE FEDERALISTS Supporters of the Constitution, who favored a strong federal, or national government (pg. 127) Claimed that the A.O.C. gave the states too much power, making a dangerously weak central government They believed the new constitution gave the federal government the power it needed, but also preserved state power effectively The Federalist Papers were written to explain the workings and ideas behind the new constitution to the public The essays were written by 3 famous and influential federalists written under pen names : James Madison John Jay Alexander Hamilton Today, courts in the United States still refer to the Federalist Papers relating to issues involving the constitution for legal guidance
THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS Antifederalists felt the new constitution gave far too much power to the federal government, and as a result weakened the states (pg. 128) Also feared the position of President gave too much power to one man Worried future leaders would not be as honorable as George Washington Most concerning was a lack of a Bill of Rights - which would list the protection of a citizen s natural rights from the government (pg. 129) Felt the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence had to be addressed Felt basic rights like speech and religion could be easily ignored by governments President would have veto power over the people- so the people must be given protections Even delegates from the Constitutional Convention argued against the new government as anti-federalists
RATIFICATION PROCESS The Constitution would go into effect when 9 of the 13 states ratified it (pg. 129) Between 1787-1788 all 13 states would elect delegates to debate and vote on the new government Ultimately- the Federalists would be able to convince the delegates of the states to support the new Constitution Massachusetts served as an early challenge as Patriots like Sam Adams and John Hancock were slow to show support In Virginia- the constitution was only ratified when the Federalists agreed to include a Bill of Rights once the constitution was adopted (pg. 130) In New York, the fierce debate produced the Federalist Papers, and eventually a crucial vote in favor of ratification On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island voted to ratify the new government- creating the framework for government we still use today
MAKING AMENDMENTS After George Washington was elected President, and New York chosen as a capital- the government got to work (pg. 131) The framers had established a process to amend the constitution- and in 1789, 12 amendments written by James Madison were proposed 75% of states must ratify an amendment- and by December 1791, 10 of the 12 amendments had been ratified- today known as the Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights both protects natural rights and addresses abuses of power experienced under the King The Bill of Rights helped to establish early American political principles like religious freedom and free speech (pg. 132) Amending the constitution allows it to be a living document - one that can change and be adapted to the times
