Eleanor Finch
The Federalists, supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, included big property owners, conservative small farmers, businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They believed that a strong national government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation, and that the nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution. They argued that the federal government only had the powers specifically granted to it under the Constitution, and that the separation of powers and checks and balances would prevent tyranny. They also rejected the Anti-Federalist proposition that a bill of rights was needed, arguing that the new federal government could in no way endanger the freedoms of the press or religion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Federalist supporters | Big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals |
| Anti-Federalist opponents | Democratic-Republicans led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and James Madison |
| Federalist beliefs | The nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution |
| Federalist beliefs | A stronger national government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation |
| Federalist beliefs | The federal government only had the powers specifically granted to it under the Constitution |
| Federalist beliefs | The Constitution provided a system of checks and balances |
| Anti-Federalist beliefs | The Constitution gave too much power to the federal government |
| Anti-Federalist beliefs | The Constitution took too much power away from state and local governments |
| Anti-Federalist beliefs | The federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen |
| Anti-Federalist beliefs | The nation was too large for the national government to respond to the concerns of people on a state and local basis |
| Anti-Federalist beliefs | The Constitution did not contain a bill of rights |
| Federalist promise | To add a bill of rights if the Anti-Federalists would vote for the Constitution |
| Federalist Party supporters | Supporters of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton’s aggressive fiscal policies |
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What You'll Learn
- Federalists believed a stronger national government was necessary
- They argued that the federal government only had powers specifically granted by the Constitution
- Federalists asserted that the federal courts had limited jurisdiction
- They believed the federal courts would protect citizens from government abuse
- Federalists rejected the proposition that a bill of rights was needed
Federalists believed a stronger national government was necessary
Federalists also argued that the basic powers of the government were divided into three equal branches, and no one branch or person could get too powerful. The Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, where each of the three branches could limit the other. Federalists believed that the federal courts had limited jurisdiction, leaving many areas of the law to the state and local courts.
Federalists included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They favored weaker state governments, a strong centralized government, the indirect election of government officials, longer term limits for officeholders, and representative, rather than direct, democracy.
Those who supported Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's aggressive fiscal policies formed the Federalist Party, which supported a strong national government, an expansive interpretation of congressional powers, and a more mercantile economy.
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They argued that the federal government only had powers specifically granted by the Constitution
The Federalists, supporters of the U.S. Constitution, argued that the federal government only had powers specifically granted by the Constitution. They believed that the nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution and that a stronger national government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation. They saw the federal government as a way to protect citizens from government abuse and guarantee their liberty.
The Federalists argued that the national government had limited powers, only those explicitly granted to it by the Constitution, and was prohibited from certain actions. They pointed to the fact that the Constitution divided the basic powers of government into three equal branches, ensuring no one branch or person became too powerful. This separation of powers and checks and balances would prevent tyranny.
In contrast, the Anti-Federalists believed that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, taking it away from the states. They saw the unitary president as resembling a monarch and believed that the liberties of the people were best protected by state governments. They also wanted a Bill of Rights to protect certain basic liberties, such as freedom of speech and trial by jury, which they felt were endangered by the supremacy clause and other clauses in the Constitution.
The Federalists rejected the need for a Bill of Rights, arguing that state constitutions and the U.S. Constitution were distinct and that people had delegated to the state all rights and powers not explicitly reserved. They also believed that a Bill of Rights could be dangerous as any omitted rights could be seen as not retained.
The Federalist supporters included big property owners, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They wanted weaker state governments, a strong centralized government, and representative democracy. They published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers advocating for ratification of the Constitution.
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Federalists asserted that the federal courts had limited jurisdiction
The Federalists asserted that the federal courts had limited jurisdiction, contrary to the Anti-Federalists' belief that the Constitution granted too much power to the federal government, including the federal courts. The Federalists argued that the federal courts' jurisdiction was restricted to certain areas of the law, leaving many legal matters to the state and local courts. They believed that the new federal courts were essential to maintaining checks and balances on the other two branches of government, preventing tyranny and safeguarding citizens' freedom.
The Federalist supporters, who included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, advocated for a strong union and the adoption of the Constitution. They favoured a robust centralised government with limited powers, a weak state government, and the indirect election of government officials. They believed that the nation's survival depended on the Constitution's passage and that a stronger national government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation.
Alexander Hamilton, an influential Federalist, wrote many essays in "The Federalist" published in 1788, advocating for the ratification of the Constitution. The Federalists published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers, promoting the ratification of the Constitution and refuting Anti-Federalist arguments.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, mobilised against the Constitution in state legislatures, particularly in Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York. They argued that the federal courts would be too distant to deliver justice to the average citizen and that power should reside in state governments to protect the liberties of the people best. They also emphasised the need for a Bill of Rights to guarantee basic liberties like freedom of speech and trial by jury, which the original Constitution lacked.
The Federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights to gain Anti-Federalist support for the Constitution. James Madison, who initially opposed the inclusion of a Bill of Rights, eventually drafted a list of rights to secure the basic rights and privileges of American citizens, including freedom of speech, the right to a speedy trial, due process of law, and protections against cruel and unusual punishments.
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They believed the federal courts would protect citizens from government abuse
The Federalists believed that the federal courts would protect citizens from government abuse. They saw the federal courts as a necessary check on the power of the other two branches of government, providing balance and preventing tyranny. They argued that the federal courts had limited jurisdiction, leaving many areas of the law to the state and local courts.
The Federalists, including big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, supported a strong national government. They believed that the nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution and that a stronger national government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, believed that the Constitution granted too much power to the federal government, including the federal courts, at the expense of state and local governments. They argued that the federal courts would be too far away to provide justice to the average citizen. They wanted a weaker national government and sought to protect the liberties of the people by keeping power in the state governments.
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists had opposing views on the role of the federal government and the best way to protect the liberties of citizens. The Federalists saw the federal courts as a necessary check on the power of the other branches of government, while the Anti-Federalists believed that the federal government, including the federal courts, had too much power and would not adequately represent the people.
The debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists shaped the early political landscape of the United States and led to the addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution in 1791. The Bill of Rights, which includes the right to free speech, a speedy trial, due process, and protections against cruel and unusual punishments, has become the most important part of the Constitution for many Americans.
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Federalists rejected the proposition that a bill of rights was needed
Federalists made a clear distinction between state constitutions and the US Constitution. They asserted that when the people formed their state constitutions, they delegated to the state all rights and powers not explicitly reserved by the people. In the US Constitution, the people or the states retained all rights and powers not positively granted to the federal government. Thus, Federalists argued that the US Constitution inherently protected citizens' rights and freedoms.
Federalists, including big property owners, conservative small farmers, businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, supported a strong national government and a weak state government. They believed that a strong central government was necessary to ensure the survival of the nation, especially after the failed Articles of Confederation. Federalists argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, with each of the three branches able to limit the others, preventing tyranny and protecting citizens' liberties.
Additionally, Federalists like Alexander Hamilton, who wrote many of the essays in "The Federalist," published in 1788, supported an expansive interpretation of congressional powers through the elastic clause. They believed that the federal government needed to have the flexibility to interpret and expand its powers to effectively govern the nation. Federalists also attempted to squelch dissent by adopting the Sedition Act, which restricted freedom of speech and the press when directed against the government.
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Frequently asked questions
Anti-Federalists believed that the new Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, and took power away from the state and local governments. They also believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch, and that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen.
Federalists argued that the federal government only had the powers specifically granted to it under the Constitution, and was prohibited from certain actions. They also pointed to the system of checks and balances, where each of the three branches could limit the other branches.
Federalists argued that the federal courts had limited jurisdiction, leaving many areas of the law to the state and local courts. They believed that the federal courts were necessary to provide checks and balances on the other two branches of government, and to protect citizens from government abuse.
Anti-Federalists believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous, and the rights of citizens would not be protected. They wanted guaranteed protection for certain basic liberties, such as freedom of speech and trial by jury.
Federalists rejected the need for a Bill of Rights, arguing that the state constitutions and the U.S. Constitution were distinct, and that the people had delegated to the state all rights and powers not explicitly reserved. They also believed that a Bill of Rights could be dangerous as any rights omitted could be considered as not retained.
