Throughout United States history there have been numerous issues, constitutional and civic, that Americans have debated. One of these constitutional issues that Americans debated, is the ratification of the Constitution. Federalists and Anti-federalists debated over the Constitution’s ratification for years. As a result of these debates, efforts by individuals, government, and groups, such as the Federalist Party, and James Madison, were made to address this issue. These efforts were very successful.
Prior to the Constitution was the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was the first form of national government in the United States. Although it was the first, The Articles of Confederation was a weak form of national government.
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Shay’s Rebellion, a rebellion against high state government taxes, was a turning point and the main reason in proving the Articles of Confederation weak, as the United States government couldn’t defend against all the people rebelling against them. Washington even expressed his concerns over the weak government through his letter to James Madison where he thought the Articles of Confederation will dissolve due to weakness as it doesn't help in defending the country. (Doc 2) In 1787, following the Articles of Confederation, came the Virginia and New Jersey Plans. Although they were different, both were made to improve on the Articles of Confederation. The Virginia Plan was a stronger form of national government when compared to the Articles of Confederation. It introduced common defence, security of liberty, a two-house legislature, a president to execute and enjoy rights and laws, and a national court. (Doc 3) This was a major improvement from the Articles of Confederation, especially as the government can address problems such as Shay’s Rebellion. Although it was an improvement, there were some flaws including less …show more content…
Nine out of the thirteen states had to approve, but many people disapproved of it and didn’t want it ratified. Those who disapproved of it were known as the Anti-federalists. One reason why Anti-federalists did not want to ratify the constitution was that they thought that tyranny would form when they didn’t want one established. To ensure tyranny doesn’t develop, James Madison, in Federalist Paper #47, stated that three branches of government with separate and distinct powers will be needed. (Doc 5) The federal government instituted a legislative branch that deals with creating laws, the executive branch which contains the president, and the judicial branch which is the national court that interprets the law. As a result, checks and balances and separations of powers were created so none of the branches become too powerful. Another reason why Anti-federalists didn’t want to ratify was that there wasn’t a Bill of Rights. Patrick Henry had problems with the Constitution as there were no protections for the rights and liberties that American citizens held. (Doc 6) In regards to having no Bill of Rights, James Madison and the Federal Government created the Bill of Rights under the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Amendments were changes to the
According to my point of view the anti-federalists played upon these sentiments in the ratification tradition in Massachusetts. By this point, five of the states had sanctioned the Constitution without any difficulty, however the Massachusetts tradition was significantly all the more sharp and hostile. At last, after long open
The federalists want to ratify the constitution in order to have a more powerful
Lectures Lecture 14 “Questions to Consider #1”: Why did the Anti Federalists object so strongly to the Preamble to the Constitution? The Anti-Federalists objected so strongly to Preamble to the Constitution due to the fact the Preamble establishes powers for the three branches of government, states’ relations, mode of amendment, debts, national supremacy, oath of office, and amendment ratification. This group felts as though when the federalists wanting to create a strong central government would not be strong enough if the Preamble was not put into place. Lecture 14 states, “Anti-federalists suspicious of central power fought the new Constitution tenaciously…..
The interminable discussion over ratification was the first national political debate. Even if the ratification of the United States Constitution had been dismissed, this debate gave an opportunity to national political communities to emerge. The same issues concerned men and women in various parts of the country either to refuse the Constitution or to defend it. One of the most important Anti-Federalist assertions was that the United States was clearly too big to be governed by a single government. According to James Madison who wrote in The Federalist: “Hearken not to the unnatural voice which tells you that the people of America, knit together as they are by so many chords of affection, can no longer live together as members of the same
The Virginia Plan The Virginia Plan aimed to replace the Articles of Confederation at the Constitutional Convention. Increasing the power of the government, one the main goals of Virgina Plan concerned many delegates. In retaliation, delegates introduced the New Jersey Plan. The New Jersey aimed to preserve the rights laid out in the Articles of Confederation.
It took the convincing of the Anti-Federalists to explain how the Constitution gave too much power to the central government and did not state the rights and freedoms of the people, therefore lacking a Bill of Rights. The Federalists agreed to a Bill of Rights, and later the Constitution was ratified with nine out of thirteen votes on June 21 of 1788. Soon after the Constitution was ratified, the separation of powers was understood in the United States government. The separation of powers separated each branch of government.
It was no longer about states or abroad country, but rather a contract between all Americans under 1 nation. In a meantime, the Federalist Papers provided strong and rational justifications in that every decision should made by the Constitutional Convention, and also persuaded Americans that by arranging less power in people’s hands, the federal government could have a higher chance to protect people. On the other hand, the Anti-Federalist delegates argued that the government gave too much power to the federal government, while seizing too much power away from local and state governments. There were three kinds of Anti-Federalists.
Hence Federalists came up with the Bill of Rights as a way to get the Constitution ratified and for people to really see a needed change. The Bill Of Rights which lists specific prohibitions on governmental power, lead the Anti-Federalists to be less fearful of the new Constitution . This guaranteed that the people would still remain to have rights, but the strong central government that the country needed would have to be approved. The 1804 Map of the nation shows that even after the ratification of the United States Constitution there still continued to be “commotion” and dispute in the country.(Document 8) George Washington stated that the people should have a say in the nation and government and everything should not be left to the government to decide.(Document 3) Although George Washington was a Federalist many believed he showed a point of view that seemed to be Anti-Federalists. Many believed that The Bill of Rights needed to be changed and modified and a new document’s time to come into place.
In the late 1770s, the Constitution caused much controversy and pitted the Federalists and Anti-Federalists against each other even further (“Brief History”). The Constitution created a stronger central government and weaker state governments which Anti-Federalists were not in favor of. (“Brief History”). The Constitution also included three branches of government: executive, judiciary, and legislative and included checks and balances. The new constitution caused many to speak out in opposition and for it and among those people were James Madison and Mercy Otis Warren.
The Federalists wanted a strong central government. The Anti- Federalists claims Constitution gives the central government too much power and, and they worried about the new constitution will not give them any rights. That the new system threatened freedom; Also, threatened the sovereignty of the states and personal liberties; failed to protect individual rights. Besides, some of famous peoples such as " Patrick Henry" and artists have came out against the Constitution. Although the anti-Federalists were unsuccessful in stopping the passage of the Constitution, their efforts have been responsible for the creation and implementation of the Bill of
During the time before the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the country was split into two factions. The Federalists, who drafted the Constitution, thought that the limited power of state government and limited individual rights to the people was the best form of government. And the Anti-Federalist, who believed that the strong federal government, as drafted in the Constitution,would strip people of their personal liberties and state governments of their sovereignty. Although the Constitution was ratified, if it wasn’t for compromises from both sides we might still be governed by the Articles of Confederation.
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law that rules over the United States. It is a written document that promoted federalism and it focused on the division of power between the national and state government. Before there was a constitution the government was governed by the Articles of Confederation. There were many flaws to the Articles of Confederation, and it was ratified by all 13 states in 1781. Some flaws of the Articles of Confederation consisted of having a weak central government, having no national court system, and Congress having no power.
The controversies over the ratification of the Constitution was taxation, too much power to the President, trading, and the lack of Bill of Rights. There were people who agreed to ratify the Constitution the way it is, which were called federalists. Federalists reasoned that Americans should ratify the Constitution because Americans are allowed to ask for additional amendments after they ratify the Constitution. The ability to be able to request additional amendments after supported the Federalist’s point of view because the Anti-federalists may ask for further amendments after which could happen after they ratify the Constitution.
Central government did not have the power the federalists wish it would have had under the Articles. Due to the constitution, the central government was too strong in the eyes of the anti-federalists. The Constitution didn’t provide any power for the states and individual freedom. Anti-federalists were scared that if a president was reelected, he would act more like a king. Many people's ideas contributed on the Debate Over the
The reign of the Articles of Confederation was brief.” The colonists at the time were angry at the British and their form of government that gave the central structure significant power. As the Articles called for a confederacy, it was an immensely favorable idea to the colonists as it would provide them with strong local, state governments and not another strong national government. Thus, the Articles were, in short, an overcorrection on how the British had formerly