Jonah Patel
The Federalists were supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, which was drafted in Philadelphia in 1787 and ratified in 1788. They believed that the nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution and that a stronger national government was necessary to prevent tyranny and safeguard the liberty and independence gained from the American Revolution. The Federalists included big property owners, conservative small farmers, businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals. They advocated for a strong central government, weaker state governments, and a more mercantile economy. They also believed that the entire Constitution, with its institutional restraints and checks and balances, was effectively a Bill of Rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political Philosophy | The Federalists believed that the greatest threat to the future of the United States was not the abuse of central power, but the excesses of democracy. |
| Role | The Federalists saw their most important role as defending the social gains of the American Revolution. |
| Name | The name Federalists was adopted by supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. |
| Beliefs | Federalists believed that the nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution. |
| Power | Federalists supported a strong national government and an expansive interpretation of congressional powers under the Constitution. |
| Checks and Balances | Federalists 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. |
| Bill of Rights | Federalists argued that the entire Constitution, with its institutional restraints, was, in effect, a Bill of Rights. |
| Economic Policy | Federalists supported a more mercantile economy. |
| Foreign Policy | Federalists initiated the important doctrine of neutrality in foreign affairs, allowing the infant nation to develop in peace for more than a century. |
| Leadership | The Federalist Party was formed by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. |
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What You'll Learn
The Federalist Papers
The supporters of the proposed Constitution called themselves "Federalists". They believed that the greatest threat to the future of the United States was not posed by the abuse of central power, but by the excesses of democracy, such as popular disturbances like Shays' Rebellion and the pro-debtor policies of many states. They argued that the Constitution was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created. They also believed that the Articles of Confederation were weak and indicative of the instability a nation will face without a strong centralized government.
The Federalist Papers: Building Support for the Constitution
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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 until the new Constitution was ratified. The Articles of Confederation were tailored to a newly formed nation of states acting as independent, sovereign countries. However, it became clear to America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government.
Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to re-evaluate the nation's governing document. The Confederation Congress endorsed his initiative, and representatives from all 13 states were invited to meet in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787. The convention concluded on September 17, 1787, with the signing of the new U.S. Constitution by 38 out of 41 delegates present.
Under Article VII, the document would only become binding once ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. Together, they produced 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers," which explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. These essays were published in newspapers nationwide.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the U.S. government. The remaining four states to ratify the Constitution were Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and Rhode Island, which approved the document on May 29, 1790, making it unanimously ratified by all 13 states.
The ratification of the Constitution was a contentious issue, with two factions emerging: the Federalists, who supported ratification, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Federalists, which included big property owners, conservative small farmers, businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals, believed that a stronger central government was necessary to ensure the nation's stability and defend the social gains of the American Revolution. They favoured weaker state governments, the indirect election of government officials, longer term limits for officeholders, and representative democracy.
On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists sought to maintain a weaker national government and desired less drastic changes to the Articles of Confederation. They argued that the Constitution did not provide adequate protection for individual liberties and rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. The Federalists responded by promising amendments to secure individual liberties, and the Anti-Federalists' position eventually collapsed. These amendments became the Bill of Rights, which was ratified on December 15, 1791, along with the Constitution.
Federalist Framers: Constitution's Foundation and Legacy
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The Bill of Rights
The Federalists, supporters of the US Constitution, believed that the document already ensured individual rights for citizens and that a Bill of Rights was unnecessary. They argued that the entire Constitution, with its institutional restraints and checks and balances, was, in effect, a Bill of Rights. They also believed that any listing of rights could potentially be interpreted as exhaustive, and rights omitted could be considered as not retained. Federalists also thought that bills of rights had historically been useless in times of crisis, overridden by the government.
The Anti-Federalists, however, believed that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government and took away power from the states. They argued that some rights were so fundamental that to give them up would be contrary to the common good, and these rights needed to to be explicitly stated in a bill of rights that would clearly define the limits of government. A bill of rights would serve as a warning to the people, enabling them to immediately know when their rights were threatened.
The omission of a bill of rights from the original Constitution was deliberate. However, the Federalists and Anti-Federalists eventually reached a compromise, and the Constitution was ratified on March 4, 1789, with the promise of a future Bill of Rights. On July 21, 1789, Congress examined, discussed, and edited a series of amendments, eventually sending twelve amendments to be ratified by the states. Ten of these amendments were ratified nationally and became the Bill of Rights, giving American citizens codified individual freedoms, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble and petition.
Federalists' Strategies for Gaining Support for the Constitution
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A strong central government
The Federalists, supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, believed that a strong central government was necessary 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 argued that the Articles of Confederation were weak and indicative of the instability a nation will face without a strong centralized government. 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, as evidenced by popular disturbances like Shays' Rebellion and the pro-debtor policies of many states.
The Federalist Papers, a collection of the writings of Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison during 1787-88, laid out the ideology of the Federalists during the creation of the U.S. Constitution. The Federalist Papers were written to urge New Yorkers to ratify the proposed Constitution, which was drafted in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. The papers explain particular provisions of the Constitution in detail and stress the need for an adequate central government. They argued that a republican form of government could be adapted to the large expanse of territory and widely divergent interests found in the United States.
The Federalists also believed that the Constitution was a safeguard to prevent a tyrant from taking power. They pointed to the preventative measures for the federal government in the form of checks and balances laid out in the Constitution, along with other measures like Senate approval/ratification, Judicial Review, and Executive appointed positions. They further argued that the entire Constitution, with its institutional restraints and checks and balances, was, in effect, a Bill of Rights.
Federalists' Interpretation: Loose or Strict Constitution Reading?
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Preventing tyranny
The Federalists endorsed the United States Constitution, which was ratified in 1788. The Federalists were supporters of the proposed Constitution and believed that it was required to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created.
Federalists were concerned about the threat of tyranny and believed that the Constitution was a safeguard against it. They argued that the large size of the United States and the diversity of opinions within it would make it difficult for a tyrannical majority faction to form. James Madison, a leading Federalist, elaborated on this idea in Federalist 10, explaining that the inclusion of many states and people into a large federal republic would result in a wide range of opinions, making it challenging for a single faction to dominate.
The Federalists also emphasized the importance of checks and balances within the Constitution to prevent the concentration of power in any one branch of government. They believed that the division of powers between the federal government and the states, as outlined in the Constitution's model of dual federalism, provided "double security" for the rights of the people. This division of powers ensured that the different levels of government would control and balance each other, making tyranny less likely.
In addition to the structural safeguards within the Constitution, Federalists also pointed to the institutional restraints and checks and balances as a whole. They argued that the entire Constitution served as a Bill of Rights and that individual liberties were protected by specific provisions, such as Article I, Sections 9 and 10, which limited the powers of Congress and the states.
The Federalist Party, formed by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, advocated for a strong national government and an expansive interpretation of congressional powers. They believed that a strong central government was necessary to prevent the instability that they believed had resulted from the weak Articles of Confederation. To address concerns about potential tyranny, they promoted the concept of implied powers and the supremacy of the federal government within the Constitution.
Despite these efforts, history has shown that federalism is not a guarantee against tyranny. Instances such as the Jim Crow era demonstrate that state control over certain areas, such as elections, education, and land-use zoning, can lead to racialized discrimination and tyranny against specific groups.
Anti-Federalists' Constitution: What Went Wrong?
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Frequently asked questions
Federalism is a political philosophy that advocates for a strong central government and a loose, decentralized system of government.
Federalists 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 also believed that the Articles of Confederation were weak and indicative of the inevitable instability a nation will face without a strong centralized government.
Federalists wanted to safeguard the liberty and independence that the American Revolution had created. They also wanted to defend the social gains of the Revolution and create a safe and fair system of trading and exchanging securities through a stable national currency.
The Federalists were supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and members of one of the nation's first two political parties. They included big property owners in the North, conservative small farmers and businessmen, wealthy merchants, clergymen, judges, lawyers, and professionals.
