Omar Bennett
The ratification of the US Constitution was a highly contentious issue in the late 18th century, dividing Americans into two factions: the Federalists, who supported the new Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who did not. The Federalists, who included big property owners, conservative small farmers, businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, faced strong opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who sought to prevent the creation of a stronger national government and demanded less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation. The debate over ratification was extremely bitter, with the Federalists ultimately prevailing in state ratification debates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Opposition | Anti-Federalists fought against the creation of a stronger national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation |
| Support | Federalists included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals |
| Ratification | At least nine of the thirteen states had to ratify the Constitution in order for it to become law |
| Momentum | By mid-January 1788, five states had ratified the Constitution, but the Federalists knew the main opposition would come from Anti-Federalists in large and powerful states, including Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia |
| Mobilisation | Anti-Federalists mobilised against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country |
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What You'll Learn
Opposition from Anti-Federalists
The Federalists faced opposition from Anti-Federalists, who fought against the creation of a stronger national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor of the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists mobilised against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country, including in Massachusetts, Virginia and New York, three crucial states. They demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government, and made ratification of the Constitution contingent on a Bill of Rights.
The Federalists knew that the main opposition would come from these large and powerful states, and that the Anti-Federalists were mounting an effective opposition in essays and debates. The Anti-Federalists 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, rather than direct, democracy.
The Federalists responded to this opposition by publishing a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers in which they advocated ratification of the Constitution.
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The need for nine states to ratify the Constitution
The Federalists faced a challenge in getting the Constitution ratified by nine or more states. Article VII specifies that at least nine of the thirteen states had to ratify the Constitution for it to become law. By mid-January 1788, five states had ratified the Constitution, and the Federalists were building momentum towards the nine states they needed to win. However, they knew that the main opposition would come from Anti-Federalists in large and powerful states, including Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. The Anti-Federalists were mounting an effective opposition in essays and debates, and some demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government. They also mobilised against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country, making ratification contingent on a Bill of Rights.
The Federalists, who included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, knew that the Constitution would only have real power if all thirteen states ratified it. They favoured weaker state governments, a strong centralised government, the indirect election of government officials, longer term limits for officeholders, and representative, rather than direct, democracy. To counter the Anti-Federalist opposition, the Federalists published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers advocating for ratification of the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton was the driving force behind The Federalist Papers, writing fifty-one essays arguing for ratification.
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The Anti-Federalists' demand for a Bill of Rights
The Federalists faced a number of challenges in their efforts to get the Constitution ratified. One of the main challenges was opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who fought against the creation of a stronger national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor of the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists were particularly strong in large and powerful states, including Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia, where they mobilised against the Constitution in state legislatures.
The Federalists knew that the opposition from the Anti-Federalists would be their main challenge, and they worked to build momentum towards the nine states they needed to ratify the Constitution. To counter the Anti-Federalists, the Federalists published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers advocating for ratification. They also had support from prominent figures such as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government. They also sought to protect individual liberties and prevent the federal government from encroaching on states' rights. In Massachusetts, arguments between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists erupted in a physical brawl between Elbridge Gerry and Francis Dana.
Sensing that Anti-Federalist sentiment could sink ratification efforts, James Madison reluctantly agreed to draft a list of rights that the new federal government could not encroach upon. This list of rights became known as the Bill of Rights, which secured the basic rights and privileges of American citizens. The Bill of Rights was fashioned after the English Bill of Rights and George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights.
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The Federalist Papers
The Federalists faced a number of challenges in their efforts to get the Constitution ratified. They knew that the main opposition would come from Anti-Federalists in large and powerful states, including Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. The Anti-Federalists were mounting an effective opposition in essays and debates, and they had mobilized against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country. They also made ratification of the Constitution contingent on a Bill of Rights.
The 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.
To counter the Anti-Federalist opposition, the Federalists published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers in which they advocated for ratification of the Constitution. These articles became known as The Federalist Papers, with Alexander Hamilton writing fifty-one of the essays. By mid-January 1788, five states (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) had ratified the Constitution. The Federalists were building momentum toward the nine states they needed to win, but they knew that the Constitution would only have real power if all thirteen states ratified it.
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The clash between Federalists and Anti-Federalists
The Federalists faced strong opposition from the Anti-Federalists in their bid to get the Constitution ratified. The Federalists, who included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, wanted a strong union and the adoption of the Constitution. They favoured weaker state governments, a strong centralised government, the indirect election of government officials, longer term limits for officeholders, and representative democracy.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, fought against the creation of a stronger national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor of the Constitution. They mobilised against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country, particularly in Massachusetts, Virginia and New York, three crucial states. The Anti-Federalists made ratification of the Constitution contingent on a Bill of Rights, and their opposition was so strong that it led to a physical brawl between Elbridge Gerry and Francis Dana in Massachusetts.
The Federalists knew that their main opposition would come from the Anti-Federalists in these large and powerful states, and they tried to build momentum towards the nine states they needed to win. They published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers advocating for ratification of the Constitution. By mid-January 1788, five states (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) had ratified the Constitution.
The debate over ratification from 1787 to 1789 was extremely bitter and divided Americans into two factions. The Federalists and Anti-Federalists disagreed on a number of issues, and the Anti-Federalists mounted an effective opposition in essays and debates. Some demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government.
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Frequently asked questions
The Federalists' main challenge was the Anti-Federalists, who fought against the creation of a stronger national government and sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation.
The Anti-Federalists were a group of people who opposed the ratification of the Constitution. They included people from large and powerful states, such as Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia.
The Anti-Federalists wanted a Bill of Rights that would secure the basic rights and privileges of American citizens. They also sought less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation, the predecessor of the Constitution.
The Federalists published a series of 85 articles in New York City newspapers advocating for the ratification of the Constitution. They also knew that they needed nine states to ratify the Constitution, so they focused their efforts on building momentum and support.
Yes, by mid-January 1788, five states (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) had ratified the Constitution. The Federalists eventually gained the support of nine states, which was enough to make the Constitution law.
