Anti-Federalists vs Federalists

January 5, 2018 | Author: Anonymous | Category: Social Science, Political Science
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Anti-Federalists vs Federalists

Cato’s Letters Brutus Centinel Federal Farmer

Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry 

Active leader during the Revolution who demanded that the British “give me liberty, or give me death!"



He is against the Constitution because it reduced states rights and had no Bill of Rights

George Mason 

Anti-Federalist, a Virginian Plantation owner



Wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights which becomes the model for the Bill of Rights



He refused to sign the Constitution until a Bill of Rights was included

Individual Rights • The Anti-Federalists were more concerned with protecting the rights of the individual people and states, then promoting the pubic good as a whole.

Who were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists? • Anti-Federalists – People who opposed ratifying the Constitution – Leaders like 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 also opposed the ratification

Who were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists? • 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 • Wanted a strong national government • Three branches of government filled with men of “reputation” • Wanted a president to lead executive branch • No Bill of Rights



Antifederalists argued • States should have power • Wanted legislative branch to be strongest branch of government • Feared a strong president in office • A Bill of Rights would protect the rights of Americans

An Unfair Advantage? 



The Federalists publish their essays in New York newspapers and pamphlets in 17871789 Newspapers support the Federalist side and publish more Federalist writings than AntiFederalist writings!

The Federalists Papers 



John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote the Federalist Papers to get support for the Constitution. Papers 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.

Does the national government have too much power? Anti-Federalists

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 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

Does the national government have too much power? Anti-Federalists

Federalists

• The necessary and proper clause is too general • It gives too much power to the national government • It is dangerous not to list all the powers of government in order to put clear limits on them

• 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

Does the national government have too much power? Anti-Federalists • •

The Constitution gives too much power to the executive branch of government It will soon become a monarchy

Federalists • • • • •

• •

A strong executive branch is necessary It is needed if the national government is to fulfill its responsibilities 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

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

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 People did not work for the common good 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

Does the Constitution provide for republican government? Anti-Federalists

• 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

Federalists

• 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

Is a Bill of Rights needed for the Constitution? Anti-Federalists • • • • •



The Constitution does not include a bill of rights A bill of rights is necessary to protect people against the power of the national government There is no mention of freedom of religion, speech, press, or assembly Since these freedoms are not in the Constitution, government is free to violate them Americans recently fought a war to secure their fundamental rights They do not want a constitution that places those rights in jeopardy

Federalists • •

• • •



A bill of rights is not needed The Constitution is the ultimate protection for people’s rights and the people are the ultimate sovereigns The Constitution does not give government the power to deprive people of their rights It gives government only limited power to do certain things A bill of rights will give the impression that the people can expect protection only for the rights that are actually listed The Constitution protects a number of rights by requiring writs of habeas corpus, and prohibiting ex post facto laws and bills of attainder

Issue

Anti-Federalists Fear Federalists Response

The The biggest threat to The largest threats to the people Biggest the people is the is having a small government in threat tyranny of the which those in the minority to government. If a will never have power. If there The government is too is a large government the people big, it will have diverse populations will ensure too much power, that a small group of people, a and consolidate, dangerous minority with eventually leading radical ideas does not gain to the government power. being ruled by a powerful elite

Issue

Protection of Individual Rights

Anti-Federalists Fear

Federalists Response

The rights guaranteed to The checks and balances are the people should be enough to keep the included in the government from taking Constitution or else the rights of the people they are not away. guaranteed

Issue Representation

Anti-Federalists Fear

Federalists Response The government should The federal be run by government representatives that are should be run by very similar to those well educated who they are and experienced representing. This new men, the elite. government will These are the encourage only the men that are best well educated elite to educated and will be representatives who be able to make are using this as an the best opportunity to gain decisions. power

Issue

Anti-Federalists Fear

Federalists Response

People will A free government The central government not hold requires the active created cannot take government support of the the rights of the accountable people. The new people because of the government would be many checks and so large that people balances in the would not be involved Constitution in government, leading eventually to the government taking too much power.

Anti-Federalists Fear

Federalists Response

Issue Power given to The limits of the The checks and balances the federal power given to the in the Constitution government federal government will be effective in are not clear and restraining the power will result in the of the federal president becoming government. The a monarch. More president does not limits should be have the power to made through a make laws, so he/she cannot become a Bill of Rights. monarch

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 AntiFederalists – 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

Quote #1: • “All communities divide themselves into the few and the many. The first are the rich and well born; the other, the mass of people…. The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore the first class a ….permanent share in the government….they therefore will ever maintain good government.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #1 • Who said it?

•FEDERALISTS

Quote #2: • “It must be by this time evident to all men…that (the Articles of Confederation) is a system so radically vicious and unsound as to admit….an entire change.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #2 • Who said it?

•FEDERALISTS

Quote #3: • “Our country is too large to have all affairs directed by a single government.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #3 • Who said it?

•ANTI-FEDERALISTS

Quote #3: • “The small landowners are the most precious part of the state.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #3 • Who said it?

•ANTI-FEDERALISTS

Quote #4: • “I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground – that all powers not delegate (given) to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states, or to the people….” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote # 4 • Who said it?

•ANTI-FEDERALIST

Quote #5: • “The powers contained in the constitution….ought to be construed liberally in advancement of the public good.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote # 5 • Who said it?

•FEDERALISTS

Quote #6: • “I am not among those who fear the people. They, not the rich, are our dependence for continued freedom.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #6 • Who said it?

•ANTI-FEDERALISTS

Quote #7: • "I had rather be a free citizen of the small republic of Massachusetts, than an oppressed subject of the great American empire." • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #7 • Who said it?

•ANTI-FEDERALISTS

Quote #8: • "I had rather be a free citizen of the small republic of Massachusetts, than an oppressed subject of the great American empire." • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #8: • “Among the numerous advantages promised by a well-constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #9 • Who said it?

•FEDERALISTS

Quote #10: • “An elective [monarchy] was not the government we fought for; but one in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among the several bodies of magistracy as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.” • Who said it? _______________________

Quote # 10 • Who said it?

•FEDERALISTS

Quote #11: • “When the government fears the people,

there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.

• Who said it? _______________________

Quote #11 • Who said it?

•ANTI-FEDERALISTS

Quote #12: • “… the power vested in congress of sending troops for suppressing insurrections will always enable them to stifle the first struggles of freedom." • Who said it? _______________________

Quote #12 • Who said it?

•ANTI-FEDERALISTS

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