Malcolm Rivera
The Federalists, supporters of the US Constitution, were a group of influential Americans who believed that the Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created. They included big property owners, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They advocated for a strong union, a powerful president, and a strong centralized government. They also believed that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, where each of the three branches is able to check or limit the other branches. To ensure the adoption of the Constitution, they published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers advocating for its ratification. The Federalists' concerns played out in the Constitution as it was ratified in 1788 and went into effect in 1789.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Support for the Constitution | The Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution. |
| Political philosophy | The Federalists had a new political philosophy, defending the social gains of the American Revolution. |
| Safeguarding liberty | Federalists believed the Constitution ensured individual liberties and opposed the creation of a Bill of Rights. |
| Checks and balances | Federalists argued that the Constitution provided a system of checks and balances, preventing tyranny. |
| Separation of powers | Federalists supported the separation of powers, with three equal branches of government. |
| Stronger central government | Federalists wanted a stronger central government, with greater congressional powers and a powerful executive. |
| Leadership | The Federalists included big property owners, conservative farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, and professionals. |
| Organisation and funding | The Federalists were well-organised, well-funded, and had strong support in the press. |
| Federalist Papers | The Federalists published 85 articles advocating for the Constitution, written by leaders such as Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. |
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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 advocating for the ratification of the US Constitution. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, and laid out the ideology of the Federalists during the creation of the US Constitution. The papers were signed "Publius", and published between October 1787 and May 1788.
The Federalists were supporters of the proposed Constitution, and their name implied a commitment to a loose, decentralised system of government. They believed that the Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created. They saw their most important role as defending the social gains of the Revolution. The Federalists were well-organised, well-funded, and had strong support in the press of the day. They believed that the greatest threat to the future of the United States was not the abuse of central power, but the excesses of democracy.
The Federalist Papers argued that the new government supported the principles of separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism. They believed that the national government only had the powers specifically granted to it under the Constitution, and that it was prohibited from certain actions. They also believed that by separating the basic powers of government into three equal branches, and not giving too much power to any one person or group, the Constitution provided balance and prevented the potential for tyranny.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, opposed the creation of a stronger national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation. They believed that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, and took away power from the states. They also believed that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen. The Federalists ultimately prevailed, and the US Constitution was ratified in 1788, and went into effect in 1789.
Anti-Federalists' Influence on the US Constitution
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Federalist supporters
The supporters of the US Constitution called themselves Federalists. They 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 had strong support in the press of the day. They also had the support of national celebrities of the period, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
The Federalists believed that the Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created. They saw their most important role as defending the social gains of the Revolution. They wanted to protect individual liberties and ensure that the government did not overstep its powers. They 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. They pointed to popular disturbances like Shays' Rebellion and the pro-debtor policies of many states as evidence of this.
Federalists like James Madison promised to add amendments specifically protecting individual liberties. These amendments, including the First Amendment, became the Bill of Rights. Madison contributed twenty-nine of the eighty-five essays published defending the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton was another influential Federalist who wrote many essays advocating for the ratification of the Constitution. Hamilton and Madison arranged for the first thirty-six Federalist essays to be published in book form and distributed copies to friends in the hope of influencing the delegates to the New York and Virginia ratifying conventions.
Federalists argued that the new government supported the principles of separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism. They believed that the national government only had the powers specifically granted to it under the Constitution and was prohibited from certain actions. They argued that by separating the basic powers of government into three equal branches and not giving too much power to any one person or group, the Constitution provided balance and prevented the potential for tyranny.
Federalist Papers: A Constitution Supersede?
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Ratification of the Constitution
The ratification of the U.S. Constitution was a long and arduous process. The country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which gave little power to the central government and required legislative approval by all 13 states for the implementation of decisions. However, it became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government.
Alexander Hamilton, supported by James Madison and John Jay, led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. The convention, which concluded on September 17, 1787, resulted in the proposal and creation of a completely new form of government outlined in the U.S. Constitution. The document was then sent to the states for debate and ratification votes.
The Federalists, supporters of ratification, included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They favoured weaker state governments, a strong centralised government, the indirect election of government officials, longer term limits for officeholders, and representative democracy. To advocate for their position, the Federalists published a series of 85 articles, known as "The Federalist Papers", in New York City newspapers. They also argued that the Constitution provided for limited government, separation of powers, and checks and balances to prevent any one branch or person from becoming too powerful.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, opposed the creation of a stronger national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation. They argued that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, taking away power from state and local governments. They also believed that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen effectively.
Despite the opposition, the Federalists ultimately prevailed in the state ratification debates. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the U.S. government. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document. The first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789, and the new government, with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President, began on March 4, 1789.
The Federalist Papers: Building Support for the Constitution
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Checks and balances
The Federalist Papers were written and published to encourage New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution. Of these, Federalist No. 51, written by James Madison or Alexander Hamilton, is the fourth most-cited document. It addresses the separation of powers, the federal structure of government, and the maintenance of checks and balances by "opposite and rival interests" within the national government.
Madison explains and defends the checks and balances system in the Constitution, which is designed to prevent the passage of laws and strong ideas by a small group of partisan individuals. He argues that each branch of government is framed so that its power checks the power of the other two branches, with each branch being dependent on the people, who are the source of legitimate authority. Madison also discusses how republican government can serve as a check on the power of factions and the tyranny of the majority, preserving liberty by ensuring justice.
Madison emphasizes that the branches of government would only function to their fullest extent if they were independent of one another. He suggests that the members of each department should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others, and that the appointments should ultimately come from the people. However, he acknowledges that some deviations from this principle may be necessary, particularly in the judiciary department, where peculiar qualifications are essential for members.
The Founders applied Locke's ideas on prerogative power to foreign policy, giving Congress the power to declare war and fund operations, while delegating authority to the executive to conduct the war as commander-in-chief. This balance was tested in the decades following World War II, with legislators becoming concerned about the executive's ability to deploy troops in foreign conflicts without a Congressional declaration of war, as seen in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In response, Congress passed the War Powers Act in 1973 to curb potential executive overreach, requiring the president to consult with Congress before sending troops into hostile situations. This act has been nearly unanimously declared unconstitutional by subsequent presidents, who argue that it impedes their ability to carry out their duties as commander-in-chief.
Federalist Vision: Constitution's True Meaning
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Separation of powers
The Federalists, including big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, supported the adoption of the Constitution. They argued for a strong union, weaker state governments, and a strong centralized government.
Federalists believed that the separation of powers into three equal branches of government—the executive, legislative, and judiciary—was essential to preserving liberty and preventing tyranny. James Madison, in Federalist No. 51, explains and defends the system of checks and balances in the Constitution, where each branch of government is framed so that its power checks the power of the other two branches. Madison's ideas were influenced by Montesquieu's "The Spirit of the Laws". Madison also discusses how republican government can serve as a check on the power of factions and the tyranny of the majority.
Federalists believed that the U.S. government had only strictly delegated powers, limited to the general interests of the nation, and thus a bill of rights was unnecessary and potentially dangerous. They argued that the people's rights were better secured by the division and separation of powers, bicameralism, and a representative form of government. They asserted that when the people formed their state constitutions, they delegated to the state all rights and powers not explicitly retained by the people.
Federalists, such as James Madison, promised to add amendments specifically protecting individual liberties, including the First Amendment, which became the Bill of Rights. These amendments were added, in part, to gain the support of the Anti-Federalists.
The Anti-Federalists' Amendments: A Compromise for the Constitution
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Frequently asked questions
The Federalist Papers were a collection of writings by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, published between 1787 and 1788. These papers were signed under the pseudonym "Publius" and laid out the Federalist ideology during the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
The Federalists supported the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, advocating for a strong central government, and arguing that it would safeguard the liberty and independence gained through the American Revolution. They believed that the greatest threat to the U.S. was not the abuse of central power, but the excesses of democracy, and they favored a more powerful executive and independent judiciary.
The Federalists argued that the Constitution had built-in safeguards to prevent the concentration of power, including limited government, separation of powers, and checks and balances. They also promised to add amendments protecting individual liberties, which became the Bill of Rights.
