Jonah Patel
The ratification of the US Constitution was a long and arduous process. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington, fearing the young country was on the brink of collapse, led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. The ratification campaign sparked an intense national debate between Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Federalists argued that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges, while Anti-Federalists criticized the concentration of power in the federal government and the absence of a Bill of Rights. The publication of The Federalist Papers, a series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and John Jay, played a key role in articulating arguments in favor of ratification and addressing Anti-Federalist concerns. The inclusion of the Connecticut Compromise, which proposed proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation in the Senate, also aided in the Constitution's ratification.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Support from Federalists | Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, and George Washington |
| Opposition from Anti-Federalists | Patrick Henry, George Mason and Samuel Adams |
| "The Federalist Papers" | 85 essays published in newspapers nationwide |
| "Vote now, amend later" compromise | Massachusetts |
| Promise to add a Bill of Rights | Virginia |
| Protection of the slave trade | Georgia and South Carolina |
| Connecticut Compromise | Proportional representation in the lower house, equal representation in the upper house |
| Support from smaller, less populous states | Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Georgia, Pennsylvania |
| Support from large and prosperous states | Virginia and New York |
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![The Ratification of the Federal Constitution by the State of New York [electronic Resource]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51At1RX3onL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
The Federalist Papers
The purpose of The Federalist Papers was to promote the ratification of the Constitution and explain how the proposed new government would function. At the time, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which gave limited powers to the Confederation Congress and no enforcement powers. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington feared that this lack of central authority threatened to tear the young nation apart.
The rapid publication of the essays, sometimes appearing three to four times a week, helped to overwhelm any potential opposition. Hamilton also encouraged their reprinting outside of New York, ensuring that they reached a wider audience. The popularity of The Federalist Papers influenced the shape of American political institutions and contributed to the successful ratification of the Constitution.
Today, The Federalist Papers continue to be referenced as a supplemental guide to interpreting the Constitution, particularly due to the involvement of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The papers provide valuable insight into the intentions of the drafters of the Constitution and remain an important historical document in understanding the foundation of the United States government.
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The role of Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton played a crucial role in encouraging the ratification of the United States Constitution. As a delegate from New York to the Constitutional Convention, he was instrumental in shaping the final document and ensuring its adoption by the states.
Hamilton was a key figure in the call for a constitutional convention in the first place. He, along with James Madison and George Washington, recognised the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. They feared that the young country was on the brink of collapse due to disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. Hamilton led the initiative for a convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document, and the Confederation Congress endorsed his proposal.
At the Constitutional Convention, which began in May 1787, Hamilton was an active participant. He proposed his own plan for a new form of government, which included controversial ideas such as the president and senators serving for life, which many saw as a form of monarchy. While his plan was not adopted, he played a role in creating the final Constitution.
Hamilton was also a leader of the Federalists, who supported the ratification of the Constitution. Along with Madison and John Jay, he wrote "The Federalist Papers," a collection of 85 essays published under the pseudonym "Publius." These essays explained and defended the proposed new government and were published in newspapers nationwide. They proved influential in gaining support for the Constitution and are considered classics of political literature.
Hamilton was particularly important in securing the ratification of the Constitution by his home state of New York, which was crucial to ensuring the new government could take effect. At the New York ratifying convention in Albany in June 1788, Hamilton faced a large group of Anti-Federalists, who opposed the Constitution due to their fear of a powerful central government. Hamilton presented a strong case for ratification, and his efforts helped ensure that New York ratified the document.
Overall, Alexander Hamilton's leadership, persuasive writing, and effective advocacy played a significant role in encouraging the ratification of the United States Constitution.
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The role of James Madison
James Madison was a pivotal figure in the drafting and ratification of the US Constitution. He was dissatisfied with the weak national government established by the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, or print money.
Madison, along with Alexander Hamilton and George Washington, feared that the young country was on the brink of collapse due to disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. He helped organize the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, which produced a new constitution designed to strengthen the republican government against democratic assembly. Madison's Virginia Plan, which called for three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), a bicameral Congress, and a federal Council of Revision, formed the basis for the convention's deliberations.
After the convention, Madison played a key role in the ratification debates, joining Hamilton and John Jay in writing "The Federalist Papers," a series of pro-ratification essays published under the pseudonym Publius. Madison authored fewer than 20 of the 85 essays, which were divided into two parts: 36 letters against the Articles of Confederation and 49 letters in favor of the new Constitution. In these essays, Madison argued that the federal government under the proposed Constitution would better protect the rights of individuals and minorities, claiming that national legislation would be crafted by a broader range of political parties and interests, making it more difficult for any one faction to oppress.
Madison also played a significant role in the Virginia ratifying convention and was a leader in the movement to ratify the Constitution. He recognized the importance of drafting a Bill of Rights to address criticisms of the absence of protections for individual liberties in the original Constitution. During his long retirement, Madison assumed the role of guardian and interpreter of the Constitution, with his records of the Constitutional Convention debates serving as a vital source of information on the founding of the federal government.
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The Anti-Federalists' opposition
The Anti-Federalists were a late-18th-century political movement that opposed the creation of a stronger US federal government and later opposed the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. Led by Patrick Henry of Virginia, the Anti-Federalists believed that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of states. They also believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch, and that this resemblance would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital.
The Anti-Federalists were composed of small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and laborers. They favored strong state governments, a weak central government, the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties. They also objected to the federal court system created by the proposed constitution.
The Anti-Federalists played upon these feelings in the ratification convention in Massachusetts, which was far more disputed and contentious than in other states. After a long debate, a compromise (known as the "Massachusetts compromise") was reached. Massachusetts would ratify the Constitution with recommended provisions in the ratifying instrument that the Constitution be amended with a bill of rights. This compromise helped secure victory in that state and eventually in the final holdouts.
The Anti-Federalists' influence helped lead to the enactment of the Bill of Rights. Their collected speeches, essays, and pamphlets later became known as the “Anti-Federalist Papers”. To combat the Federalist campaign, they published a series of articles and delivered numerous speeches against ratification of the Constitution.
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The Bill of Rights
The ratification of the U.S. Constitution was a long and arduous process. The country was initially governed by the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, and the ability to print money. This led to disputes between the states, threatening to tear the young nation apart.
Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document, and on September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the new U.S. Constitution, with a 39th signature added later for an absent delegate. The document would not be binding until ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
The ratification process sparked an intense national debate between two factions: the Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Federalists, led by Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, argued that the Constitution provided a necessary framework for a strong, effective central government capable of unifying the nation, protecting against foreign threats, and managing domestic affairs. They believed the checks and balances built into the Constitution would prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, feared that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government at the expense of states' rights and lacked a bill of rights to protect individual liberties, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press. They argued that the Constitution, in its current form, did not adequately protect against government overreach.
The debate played out in newspapers, pamphlets, and public meetings across the country. The Federalist Papers, a series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay under the pseudonym "Publius", were a key tool for the Federalists. They articulated arguments in favour of ratification and addressed Anti-Federalist concerns.
The tide turned in Massachusetts, where the Federalists secured ratification by promising to support amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, that would protect individual liberties. This concession helped sway skeptics in several states, including Virginia, which ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788, after Federalists agreed to recommend a Bill of Rights. New York followed on July 26, 1788, after an intense and narrowly won debate.
On June 21, 1788, with the ratification by New Hampshire, the ninth state, the Constitution became the official framework of the U.S. government. In 1791, ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified, guaranteeing fundamental freedoms such as speech, religion, and the press, as well as protections against government overreach.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step was the signing of the Constitution by 38 or 39 of the 41 or 55 delegates on September 17, 1787.
The next step was to get the document ratified by nine of the 13 states.
The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, wrote 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers" that explained and defended the proposed new government.
The Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution because it created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights.
The Federalists promised to add a Bill of Rights to the Constitution, which helped sway skeptics in several states.
