2.2 The Federalists and Anti-Federalists

The Federalist Papers

85 essays written by the Federalists that argued for ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Fear of Tyranny/No Bill of Rights

The Anti-Federalists were afraid of an all-powerful federal government that could violate their rights. They wanted a Bill of Rights to make sure that their rights would be protected.

The Slavery Issue

The Constitution allowed for slaves to be imported for 20 more years, which the Anti-Federalists felt was against the "Equality" and "Unalienable Rights" spirit of the American Revolution.

Fear of the "Chief Executive"

The Executive is the President. The Anti-Federalists feared a President, who could become an all-powerful king.

Federalist 44

The Federalists argued that the "Necessary and Proper" clause was needed to make sure all of the states cooperated with each other.

Federalist 45

The Federalists argued that the Constitution did not make the federal government all-powerful. It made the government more efficient at doing its job.

Strong National Government

The Federalists believed we needed a strong federal government to protect Americans from attack by a foreign country.

Bill of Rights

The Federalists promised to include a Bill of Rights if the Constitution was ratified. This was a list of freedoms that Americans were given by the Constitution that the government could not take away.

The Federalists

The Federalists wanted a strong federal government. They argued for the Constitution to be ratified.

Separation of Powers

The federalists said that the Constitution divided power between the federal government and the states, and at the national level the power was divided among three branches. They argued that this would limit the government's ability to take peoples' freedoms.

Anti-Federalist Papers

Writings by the Anti-Federalists that listed their arguments against a strong national government.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Also called the "Elastic Clause." This clause gave Congress the power to create any law they felt was "necessary and proper." The Anti-Federalists feared a federal government that could make laws to take away peoples' freedoms.

Federalist 51

In this essay the Federalists argued for a large republic where many different interests would come together to govern. This would keep one group from becoming too powerful.

Anti-Federalist Paper #9

In this paper the Anti-Federalists argued that the United States was too big for a federal government to be able to answer to the will of all people.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the new U.S. Constitution. They did not want to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

All-Powerful Federal Government.

The Anti-Federalists feared a federal government that could violate their rights whenever it wanted just like the British king they rebelled against.

The Supremacy Clause

This clause in the U.S. Constitution established it as the "supreme law of the land." This scared Anti-Federalists, who wanted their states to have power too.

Ratify

To approve. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention required 9 states to approve the new Constitution.