Malcolm Rivera
The ratification of the US Constitution was a long and arduous process, with public opinion deeply divided. Supporters of the 1787 Constitution, known as Federalists, argued that a centralized republic was the best solution for the future. They countered critics by insisting that the proposed design was the only way to save the country from foreign invasion or anarchy. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay led the lobbying efforts, producing 85 essays known as The Federalist Papers, which explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. The essays were published in newspapers nationwide, and the arguments put forth, along with explicit guarantees that amendments would be added to protect individual liberties, helped sway delegates to ratification conventions in many states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Supporters of the Constitution | Federalists |
| Opponents of the Constitution | Anti-Federalists |
| First state to ratify the Constitution | Delaware |
| Date of first ratification | December 7, 1787 |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 out of 13 |
| Date of ratification | June 21, 1788 |
| Key Federalist arguments | Need for a strong central government to prevent anarchy and foreign invasion; representation by knowledgeable individuals rather than neighbors |
| Federalist tactics | Essays, newspaper editorials, pamphlets, letters, public debates, cartoons |
| Key Anti-Federalist arguments | Fear of centralized power and loss of state autonomy; belief in state legislatures to protect freedoms |
| Anti-Federalist tactics | Dissent in newspapers, emphasis on lack of a Bill of Rights |
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What You'll Learn
Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers were a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, urging New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution. Published between October 1787 and August 1788, the Federalist Papers were primarily printed in two New York state newspapers: The New York Packet and The Independent Journal. They were also reprinted in other newspapers in New York and several other states.
The Federalist Papers were written in response to the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, where the United States Constitution was drafted. The authors of the Federalist Papers, being Federalists, supported the ratification of the Constitution, which would replace the existing Articles of Confederation. The essays explain in detail the specific provisions of the Constitution, with Madison providing a line-by-line exposition of the reasoning behind each clause.
Hamilton, Jay, and Madison published the essays under assumed names, including Publius, a reference to the Roman consul Publius Valerius Publicola. The first essay, published on October 27, 1787, was addressed to the people of New York but aimed at the delegates to the state's Ratifying Convention. In it, Hamilton emphasized the importance of the choice that the states faced and the potential impact of their decision on the future of governance.
The Federalist Papers played a significant role in shaping the debate around ratification, offering insights into the intentions and interpretations of the Constitution's drafters. However, they did not have a decisive influence on New York's decision to ratify the Constitution. New York ultimately voted to ratify the Constitution on July 26, 1788, with a narrow margin of 30 to 27 votes, becoming one of the nine states required for ratification.
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Alexander Hamilton's influence
Alexander Hamilton was a key figure in achieving the ratification of the US Constitution. As a delegate from New York to the Constitutional Convention, he was one of the few from his state to support the new form of government. Hamilton was instrumental in the Constitution's ratification and subsequent interpretation. He led the collaboration with James Madison and John Jay on the Federalist Papers, a collection of 85 articles and essays written under the pseudonym "Publius" to promote ratification. These papers were essential in convincing Americans across the country to support the Constitution.
Hamilton also played a crucial role in the New York ratification convention in Albany, where he faced a large group of Anti-Federalists. New York was particularly important, as without its ratification, the new government would likely split into separate confederacies. Hamilton's performance at this convention was impressive, and he presented a strong case for ratification.
Hamilton's influence extended beyond the ratification process. As Treasury Secretary under President George Washington, he built the economic system that enabled the new nation to survive. He understood that America needed a powerful economic system to develop into an industrial power. Hamilton worked to solve the country's economic problems, such as the inability to collect taxes and the lack of a revenue source to pay off debts.
Hamilton's plan for a strong central government was not without controversy. In his famous six-hour speech, he proposed that the president and senators should serve for life, which many saw as a form of monarchy. Despite this, Hamilton's overall influence on the ratification of the Constitution was significant, and he played a vital role in shaping the future of the United States.
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Support from smaller states
Smaller states, such as Delaware, were in favour of the Constitution. This was because equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with the larger states. A strong national government with an army at its command would also be better equipped to defend them than their state militias.
Larger states, on the other hand, had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. Supporters of the Constitution, therefore, feared that larger states such as New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it. This meant that all nine of the remaining states would have to, and Rhode Island, the smallest state, was unlikely to do so. It had not even sent delegates to the convention in Philadelphia.
The smaller states' support for the Constitution was also influenced by the arguments put forth by Federalists in pamphlets, essays, and cartoons. These arguments, along with explicit guarantees that amendments would be added to protect individual liberties, helped to sway delegates to ratification conventions in many states.
The Federalists, supporters of the 1787 Constitution, made the case that a centralized republic provided the best solution for the future. They countered their opponents, the Anti-Federalists, by insisting that the proposed design was the only way to save the country from either foreign invasion or anarchy. They argued that the Confederation Congress lacked power and respect, the economy was in freefall, and the states were on the verge of devolving into regional confederacies.
The Federalists' most famous works came out of New York, where Alexander Hamilton recruited James Madison and John Jay to help him write a series of eighty-five essays from 1787 to 1788 in favour of the Constitution. These essays, published serially in newspapers under the pseudonym Publius, have since been published together as the Federalist Papers.
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Public opinion campaigns
Alexander Hamilton, a key figure in the Federalist campaign, recruited James Madison and John Jay to help write a series of eighty-five essays, known as "The Federalist Papers". These essays, published under the pseudonym "Publius", defended the Constitution and explained how the proposed new government would function. They were published in newspapers across the nation, contributing to a broader campaign that included editorials, pamphlets, letters, and public debates.
The Federalist Papers countered criticisms of the Constitution, such as the concern that a centralised government would favour the rich and powerful. Hamilton, in particular, argued that people's interests could be effectively represented by those with extensive knowledge of the world, not just their neighbours. He also countered fears of a merchant and land-owning elite dominating Congress, pointing to the presence of landowners of moderate wealth in New York's state legislature.
The Federalist campaign faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who argued that the Constitution would consolidate power in a national government, undermining the states' autonomy and individual liberties. The battle for public opinion was intense, with educated men on both sides authoring pamphlets, essays, and cartoons to make their case. The Federalists' arguments, however, ultimately proved more persuasive, and the Constitution was narrowly approved, marking a significant shift in the country's governance.
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The three-fifths rule
The Three-Fifths Compromise, also referred to as the 3/5 Compromise or the 3/5ths Compromise, was a critical element of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The Convention aimed to create a more stable system of government to replace the weak Articles of Confederation.
The Three-Fifths Compromise addressed the apportionment in the House of Representatives and the number of electoral votes each state would have in presidential elections, based on a state's population. It stated that each slave was counted as three-fifths of a White person for purposes of representation. This gave southern states more political power and reinforced the institution of slavery. Southern slaveholders wanted slaves to count for representation, while those from the northern states feared that counting slaves would give the southern states too much power.
The compromise was a crucial decision in the early history of the United States, with far-reaching implications for the nation's political landscape, slavery, and representation. It institutionalized slavery and gave slave states extra representation in Congress, enabling them to maintain their political power and influence. This extra representation led to the southern states having a balance of political power.
The Three-Fifths Compromise has had a lasting impact on the United States, particularly in cases involving voting rights and representation in Congress. For example, in the Gill v. Whitford case, the Supreme Court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction over partisan gerrymandering, which is the process of manipulating voting districts to favour one political party over another. Critics argued that this made it more difficult to ensure fair representation in Congress and combat gerrymandering.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was ratified in the context of replacing the Articles of Confederation, which were inadequate for governing a nation. The Articles were tailored to a newly formed nation made up of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries. It became clear that a stronger, more centralized government was required for future stability.
The Constitution required the ratification of nine out of thirteen states to come into effect. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by eight other states, with New Hampshire being the ninth on June 21, 1788. The process was contentious and close, with the vote being thirty in favor to twenty-seven opposed in New York, and thirty-four to thirty-two in Rhode Island.
The Federalists were the supporters of the Constitution and a centralized government. They argued that the proposed design was the only way to save the country from foreign invasion or anarchy. They also believed that a consolidated national government was required to address the failing economy and the lack of respect for the Confederation Congress abroad. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers, a series of eighty-five essays published in newspapers that explained and defended the proposed new government.
The Anti-Federalists were the opponents of the Constitution, fearing the concentration of power in a national government and believing that state legislatures could better protect their freedoms. They argued that the Constitution would consolidate power in the national government, taking away the ability of states to make their own decisions. They also protested the lack of a Bill of Rights, jeopardizing the unalienable personal rights of men.
