Malcolm Rivera
The Federalists were supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, which was written in 1787 and ratified in 1788. They believed that the Constitution was necessary to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had brought about. The Federalists argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, with each of the three branches of government able to limit the others, and that it included protections for individual liberties. They also believed that a stronger national government was needed after the failed Articles of Confederation, and that the greatest threat to the U.S. came from the excesses of democracy, rather than the abuse of central power. To win support for the Constitution, the Federalists published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers, and they were aided by the fact that most newspapers supported their political plan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Well-funded | Had financial resources to support their cause |
| Well-organized | Used the printed word to their advantage |
| Support from newspapers | Most newspapers supported Federalists and published articles and pamphlets explaining why the people should approve the Constitution |
| Support from talented leaders | Many talented leaders of the era with experience in national-level work were Federalists, including Benjamin Franklin and George Washington |
| Federalist Papers | Federalist supporters published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers advocating for the ratification of the Constitution |
| Ratification | Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution |
| Checks and balances | Federalists argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, preventing any one branch or person from becoming too powerful |
| Limited government | Federalists argued that the national government only had the powers specifically granted to it |
| Safeguarding liberty and independence | Federalists believed the Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created |
| Stronger national government | Federalists believed that a stronger national government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation |
| Protection of rights | Federalists argued that the Constitution already contained protections for individual liberties |
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What You'll Learn
Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 articles published in New York City newspapers in 1788, advocating for the ratification of the US Constitution. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, who were supporters of the proposed Constitution and called themselves "Federalists". The papers laid out the ideology of the Federalists, who believed that a strong central government was necessary to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had won.
The Federalists included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They were well-organised, well-funded, and made effective use of the printed word to spread their message. They argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, with each of the three branches of government able to limit the power of the other branches. They also pointed out that the Constitution already contained protections for individual liberties in Article I, Sections 9 and 10, which limited the power of both Congress and the states.
The Federalist Papers were written in response to the Anti-Federalists, who opposed the ratification of the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists argued that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government at the expense of state and local governments. They also wanted a bill of rights to guarantee protections for basic liberties like freedom of speech and trial by jury. In response, the Federalists promised to add a bill of rights if the Anti-Federalists would support the Constitution.
The Federalist Papers played a key role in shaping the ratification debate and ultimately helped to secure the adoption of the US Constitution in 1788, which went into effect in 1789. The Federalists believed that their political plan was necessary to address the weaknesses of the central government under the Articles of Confederation and to ensure the future success of the nation.
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Checks and balances
The Federalists, supporters of the Constitution, believed that the document had many built-in safeguards, such as limited government and a system of checks and balances. They argued that by separating the basic powers of government into three equal branches—the executive, legislative, and judiciary—and not giving too much power to any one person or group, the Constitution provided balance and prevented the potential for tyranny.
James Madison, one of the authors of the Federalist Papers, explained and defended the checks and balances system in the Constitution. In Federalist No. 51, he wrote that each branch of government is framed so that its power checks the power of the other two branches. Each branch of government is also dependent on the people, who are the source of legitimate authority. Madison believed that this system would preserve liberty by ensuring justice and preventing the tyranny of the majority.
The Federalists argued that the Constitution already contained protections for individual liberties in Article I, Sections 9 and 10, which limited Congress and the states. They also believed that the entire Constitution, with its institutional restraints and checks and balances, was, in effect, a Bill of Rights. They further argued that because it would be impossible to list all the rights afforded to Americans, it would be best to list none.
The Federalist Papers, a collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, were instrumental in advocating for the ratification of the Constitution. These papers laid out the ideology of the Federalists and successfully articulated their position in favor of the adoption of the Constitution.
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Safeguarding liberty and independence
The Federalists believed that the US Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had brought about. They saw their most important role as defending the social gains of the Revolution.
The Federalists were well-organised, well-funded, and made effective use of the printed word. They had the support of most newspapers, which published articles and pamphlets explaining why the Constitution should be approved. They also had the support of many of the most talented leaders of the era, including the only two national-level celebrities of the period, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
The Federalists argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, where each of the three branches of government could limit the others. They believed that the national government only had the powers specifically granted to it, and that the federal courts had limited jurisdiction, leaving many areas of the law to the state and local courts. They also pointed out that the Constitution already contained protections for individual liberties in Article I, Sections 9 and 10, which limited Congress and the states.
The Federalists further argued that it would be impossible to list all the rights afforded to Americans, so it was best to list none. However, to gain the support of the Anti-Federalists, they promised to add a bill of rights if the Anti-Federalists would vote for the Constitution. A Bill of Rights was added in 1791.
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Support from prominent figures
The Federalists were supported by many prominent figures of the time, including some of the most talented leaders of the era with experience in national-level work. The Federalists' ranks included the only two national-level celebrities of the period, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. Both of these men favoured the Constitution.
Alexander Hamilton was another leading Federalist. He wrote many of the essays in 'The Federalist', published in 1788, which advocated for the ratification of the Constitution. Hamilton was also a supporter of aggressive fiscal policies, and his followers later formed the Federalist Party, which supported a strong national government and a more mercantile economy.
James Madison was another important Federalist figure. He, along with Hamilton and John Jay, penned 'The Federalist Papers', a collection of writings that laid out the ideology of the Federalists during the creation of the US Constitution. Madison explained that the Constitution was designed to be a "republican remedy for the diseases most incident to republican government".
Thomas Jefferson, who was initially an Anti-Federalist, later became a supporter of the new constitution. He and Madison led the Democratic-Republican opponents of the Federalist Party, emphasising states' rights and agrarianism.
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Federalist arguments against Anti-Federalists
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists were two opposing groups with differing views on the US Constitution. The Federalists supported the ratification of the new Constitution, believing that a stronger national government with greater powers was necessary to unite the individual states and create a stronger country. They argued that the Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created. They also believed that the greatest threat to the future of the United States was not in the abuse of central power but in the excesses of democracy, as evidenced by popular disturbances like Shays' Rebellion.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, opposed ratification and believed that power should be concentrated with the states rather than the federal government. They worried that a stronger federal government would be prone to tyranny and that the new Constitution did not include adequate protections for the rights of individuals and states. They wanted guaranteed protection for certain basic liberties, such as freedom of speech and trial by jury, and argued that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen.
In response to Anti-Federalist arguments, the Federalists argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, with each of the three branches able to check or limit the other branches, preventing the potential for tyranny. They also argued that the national government only had the powers specifically granted to it under the Constitution and was prohibited from certain actions. Additionally, they believed that because it would be impossible to list all the rights afforded to Americans, it was best to list none.
The Federalists were well-organized, well-funded, and made effective use of the printed word, with most newspapers supporting their political plan. They also had the support of many talented leaders of the era, including Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. The Federalists ultimately prevailed, and the US Constitution was ratified in 1788, going into effect in 1789.
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Frequently asked questions
The Federalists argued that the Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had brought about. They believed that the greatest threat to the future of the United States was not a central power, but the excesses of democracy, and that a stronger central government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation. They also argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, with each of the three branches able to check or limit the powers of the other branches.
The Federalists argued that the entire Constitution, with its institutional restraints and checks and balances, was, in effect, a Bill of Rights. They also pointed out that the Constitution already contained some protections for individual liberties in Article I, Sections 9 and 10, which limited Congress and the states. Additionally, they promised to add a Bill of Rights if the Anti-Federalists would vote for the Constitution, and this was indeed added in 1791.
The Federalists were well-organised, well-funded, and made effective use of the printed word, with most newspapers supporting their political plan. They also had the support of many talented leaders of the era, including celebrities such as Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
