The Constitution

What is the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation was the first government of the United States.

What were the Federalist Papers?

The main arguments in favor of ratifying the Constitution were stated in a series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay called the Federalist Papers which were published in newspapers.

Explain the argument between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists regarding the elastic clause.

They disagree. Anti-Federalists believe the clause will lead to the federal government having too much power. The Federalists believe that it is necessary for government to function.

Federalists

a group of people in the early United States who favored the establishment of a strong national government and who worked for ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Anti-Federalists

a group of people in the early United States who opposed ratification of the U.S. Constitution because they feared a strong national government and a lack of protection for individual rights

debt

something owed; such as money

Articles of Confederation

the first constitution of the United States, adopted in 1781 and replaced in 1789

Bill of Rights

the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, establishing rights and protections for American citizens

ratification

the process of formally approving something; ratification of the U.S. Constitution

Anti-Federalists Papers

a series of essays written to counter and defeat the proposed U.S. Constitution

Federalists Papers

a series of essays written to explain and defend the proposed U.S. Constitution

confederation

a system of government where power is located with the independent states and there is little power in the central government

Why did the Anti-Federalists want to include a bill of rights in the Constitution?

Anti-Federalists were also concerned that the Constitution lacked a specific listing of rights. They believed that a bill of rights was essential to protect the people from the federal government. The Anti-Federalists did not want a powerful national government taking away those rights. The lack of a bill of rights became the focus of the Anti-Federalist campaign against ratification.

What happened at the Constitutional Convention?

At the Constitutional Convention, the Articles of Confederation were thrown out and the Constitution was written.

Explain the argument between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists regarding a bill of rights.

Both agree that rights are important. Anti-Federalists believe that a list of rights is necessary to include in order to protect the rights. Federalists believe that a list of rights will limit the amount of rights protected.

What was the viewpoint of the Anti-Federalists concerning the ratification of the Constitution?

People opposed to the ratification of the Constitution were called the Anti-Federalists. They were concerned that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government at the expense of the state governments. They were also concerned that, within the national government, the legislative and executive branches were too powerful. Anti-Federalists were also concerned that the Constitution lacked a specific listing of rights.

How did Shays's Rebellion lead to the Constitutional Convention?

Shays's Rebellion made it clear that the central government did not have the ability to keep order in the new nation. This causes Alexander Hamilton to organize a meeting.

What was the viewpoint of the Federalists concerning the ratification of the Constitution?

The supporters of the proposed Constitution called themselves Federalists. For Federalists, the Constitution was necessary in order to protect the liberty and independence that was gained from the American Revolution. They believed that the three branches of the national government separated the powers and protected the rights of the people. They also believed that a listing of rights can be a dangerous thing.

Explain the argument between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists regarding the power of the federal government.

They disagree. The Anti-Federalists believe that the Constitution gives the federal government too much power and the states with not enough power. The Federalists believe that the a strong central government is necessary, but the Constitution will protect the state governments.

What were the Anti-Federalist Papers?

To communicate their concerns, Anti-Federalists such as Patrick Henry wrote essays and newspaper articles to spread their point of view and these writings became known as the Anti-Federalist Papers.

What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

Under the Articles of Confederation, the Congress could not tax, could not regulate trade, or enforce laws. There was no central leadership to enforce laws and there was no central judicial branch. It requited unanimous approval of all 13 states in order to change any part of the articles.

Constitutional Convention

a meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 where delegates decided to throw out the Articles of Confederation and draft the Constitution

Shay's Rebellion

an event when 2000 Massachusetts farmers rebelled against land foreclosures and debt from the Revolutionary War