Federalists versus Anti-Federalists

Federalists versus Anti-Federalists

What side had it right?

Who were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

Anti-Federalists: People who opposed ratifying the Constitution

George Mason, Edmond Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry

Each had attended the Philadelphia Convention but refused to sign the Constitution

John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Richard Henry Lee

All signed the Declaration of Independence, but opposed at first the ratification of the new Constitution

Federalists: People who favored ratification

--John Jay, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison

Prominent Anti-Federalists

Anti-Federalists were more concerned with protecting the rights of the individual people and states than promoting the public good as a whole.

Most Americans were very suspicious of government, but the

Anti-Federalists were especially mistrustful of strong government.

They feared they had created a government that the people could not control

DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

• Federalists argued for

  ~a strong national government

  ~Three branches of government filled with ~men of “reputation”

  ~a president to lead executive branch

  ~No Bill of Rights (Unnecessary)

• Anti-Federalists argued

  ~States should have power

  ~Legislative branch should be strongest branch of government

  ~A strong president could become a tyrant

  ~A Bill of Rights was needed to protect the rights of Americans

Multiple Choice

From what you have learned so far, which group wanted a strong federal government?

• Federalists

• Anti-Federalists

Unfair advantage?

~The Federalists publish their essays in New York newspapers and pamphlets in 1787-1789

~Newspapers support the Federalist side and publish more Federalist writings than Anti-Federalist writings!

The Federalists Papers

• John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote the Federalist Papers to get support for the Constitution. The Federalist addressed issues such as representation, rights of individuals and majority rule.

• The Anti-Federalists respond in the “Objections to the Constitution of Government formed by the Convention”, which argued the fear of a strong executive branch and the absence of a Bill of Rights.

Hamilton Non-Stop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpCeJkTB1_Q

Multiple Choice

How many of the Federalist Papers did Hamilton write?

• 6

• 29

• 48

• 51

Does the national government have too much power? ANTI-FEDERALISTS

~The supremacy clause means that all the national government’s laws are superior to laws made by the states

~It will only be a matter of time until the state governments are destroyed

~The necessary and proper clause is too general

~It gives too much power to the national government

Continued...

~It is dangerous not to list all the powers of government in order to put clear limits on them

~The Constitution gives too much power to the executive branch of government

~It will soon become a monarchy

Does the national government have too much power? FEDERALISTS

~The Constitution provides protections for the state governments by specifically reserving certain powers for the states

~This will prevent the states from being destroyed by the national government

~The necessary and proper clause and general welfare clause are needed if the national government is to do the things it is responsible for doing

~A strong executive branch is necessary

~It is needed if the national government is to fulfill its responsibilities

Continued...

~Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court have checks on the use of power by the Executive branch

~The executive branch cannot become a monarchy

~The power of the national government are separated and balanced among the three branches

~No one branch can dominate the others

~This system makes it impossible for any person or group to take complete control of government

Open Ended

What were five reasons the Anti-Federalists opposed a strong federal government?

Open Ended

What were five reasons the Federalists supported a strong federal government?

Does the Constitution provide for republican government? ANTI-FEDERALISTS

~Throughout history, the only places where republican governments worked had been in small communities

~There, the people had similar wealth and the same values

~People who are not too rich or too poor are more likely to have civic virtue

~Such people are more likely to agree on what is best for the common good

~The new nation would be too large and diverse

~The people will not be able to agree on their common welfare

Continued...

~Free government requires the active participation of the people

~The national government will be located far from where most people live

People will be unable to participate in government

~As a result, the only way government will be able to rule will be with military force

~The result will be tyranny

Does the Constitution provide for republican government? FEDERALISTS

~History has proven that selfish groups destroyed all the small republics of the past

~The civic virtue of the citizens was not enough to keep people from seeking their own interests

~A large republic where power is divided between the national and state governments is a better solution

~It is also better to organize government based on checks and balances

~Under such a government, it will be more difficult for special interests to work against the common good

Continued...

~The national government cannot become a tyranny

~The limits placed on government by the system of separation of powers and checks and balances will prevent it

~Government will be so good at protecting the rights of the people that it will soon gain their loyalty and support

~People did not work for the common good

Open Ended

What were four issues the Anti-Federalists had with the Constitution?

Open Ended

What were four reasons the Federalists supported the Constitution?

The Biggest threat to the people... Anti-Federalists Fear

The biggest threat to the people is the tyranny of the government. If a government is too big, it will have too much power, and consolidate, eventually leading to the government being ruled by a powerful elite

Federalists Response

The largest threats to the people is having a small government in which those in the minority will never have power. If there is a large government the diverse populations will ensure that a small group of people, a dangerous minority with radical ideas does not gain power.

Protection of Individual Rights... Anti-Federalists Fear

The rights guaranteed to the people should be included in the Constitution or else they are not guaranteed

Federalists Response

The checks and balances are enough to keep the government from taking the rights of the people away.

Representation... Anti-Federalists Fear

The government should be run by representatives that are very similar to those who they are representing. This new government will encourage only the well educated elite to be representatives who are using this as an opportunity to gain power

Federalists Response

The federal government should be run by well educated and experienced men, the elite. These are the men that are best educated and will be able to make the best decisions.

*Side Note~ This is why there is an Electoral College

People will not hold government accountable... Anti-Federalists Fear

A free government requires the active support of the people. The new government would be so large that people would not be involved in government, leading eventually to the government taking too much power.

Federalists Response

The central government created cannot take the rights of the people because of the many checks and balances in the Constitution

Power given to the federal government...Anti-Federalists Fear

The limits of the power given to the federal government are not clear and will result in the president becoming a monarch. More limits should be made through a Bill of Rights.

Federalists Response

The checks and balances in the Constitution will be effective in restraining the power of the federal government. The president does not have the power to make laws, so he/she cannot become a monarch

Open Ended

Did the Anti-Federalist have genuine reasons to be concerned with the Constitution? Why or why not?

Please write a well formatted paragraph using the reasons from the previous slides.

Why did the Federalists agree to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution?

A compromise was reached on the issue of a bill of rights...

~The Federalists made this compromise to get enough support for the Constitution so that it would be ratified

~They agreed that when the first Congress was held, it would draft a bill of rights

The argument to add a bill of rights was a victory for the Anti-Federalists...

~It was an important addition to the Constitution and has been of great importance in the protection of the basic rights of the American People