Federalists and Anti-Federalists

What is ratification?

• The process of revising the Articles of Confederation

• The process of approving the Constitution

• The process of dividing power among state governments

• The process of protecting the rights of the people

Who were the Federalists?

• John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry

• James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

• The authors of the Anti-Federalist Papers

• The people who supported ratifying the Constitution

Who were the Anti-Federalists?

• John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry

• James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

• The authors of the Federalist Papers

• The people who opposed ratifying the Constitution

What did the Federalists think?

• We need to get rid of the Articles of Confederation; too weak and should be replaced

• We need a strong central government

• The Constitution, as it is written, protects the rights of the people

• We should divide the power among the state governments

What did the Anti-Federalists think?

• We need to get rid of the Articles of Confederation; too weak and should be replaced

• We need a strong central government

• The Constitution, as it is written, protects the rights of the people

• We should divide the power among the state governments

Who said it: 'The Constitution proposed to your acceptance is designed, not for yourselves alone, but for generations yet unborn. The principles, therefore, upon which the social compact is founded, ought to have been clearly and precisely stated, and the most express and full declaration of rights to have been made. But on this subject, there is almost an entire silence.'

• Federalists - federal/central government

• Anti-Federalists - state government

• Federalists - rights of the people

• Anti-Federalists - specifically outlined rights

Who said it: 'It has been objected too that the new system... is calculated to and will affect such a consolidation of the States, as to supplant and overturn the state governments.'

• Federalists - federal/central government

• Anti-Federalists - state government

• Federalists - rights of the people

• Anti-Federalists - specifically outlined rights

Who said it: 'The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.'

• Federalists - federal/central government

• Anti-Federalists - state government

• Federalists - rights of the people

• Anti-Federalists - specifically outlined rights

Who said it: 'The truth is, after all the declamations we have heard, that the Constitution is itself, in every rational sense, and to every useful purpose, A BILL OF RIGHTS.'

• Federalists - federal/central government

• Anti-Federalists - state government

• Federalists - rights of the people

• Anti-Federalists - specifically outlined rights

Based on what you have learned from the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, would you have voted to ratify (approve) the new Constitution?

• Yes

• No