Simone Lawson
The ratification of the US Constitution in 1788 was a contentious affair, with Anti-Federalists arguing that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, while taking too much power away from state and local governments. Anti-Federalists believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch, and that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, as opposed to a federal one. They also believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous. Federalists, on the other hand, believed that a stronger national government was necessary and 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.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Anti-Federalists' beliefs | The new Constitution gave too much power to Congress, resembling a monarch, and that the liberties of the people were best protected under state governments. |
| Federalist beliefs | The nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution, and that a stronger national government was necessary. |
| Anti-Federalist arguments | The Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, and took too much power away from state and local governments. |
| Federalist arguments | The document had many built-in safeguards, such as limited government, separation of powers, and checks and balances. |
| Result | The Federalists prevailed, and the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, and went into effect in 1789. |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution gave too much power to the federal government
The Anti-Federalists believed that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, while taking too much power away from state and local governments. They believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, as opposed to a federal one. They were concerned that the unitary president resembled a monarch and that this resemblance would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital.
Anti-Federalists also believed that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen. They felt that the nation was too large for the national government to respond to the concerns of people on a state and local basis. They also believed that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states.
The Federalists, on the other hand, believed that a stronger national government was necessary after the failed Articles of Confederation. They 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 doing some things at all. They also 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.
The Anti-Federalists dominated the New York Convention, but New York eventually ratified the Constitution with a call for another convention. The Federalists agreed to recommend a Bill of Rights, which was added in 1791.
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The unitary president resembled a monarch
Indeed, many contemporary observers believed the president was a king in everything but name. The Anti-Federalists wished to see a weaker federal government, and they were quick to call the president a monarch. One Anti-Federalist, Patrick Henry, said of the Constitution, "Among other deformities, it has an awful squinting; it squints towards monarchy: And does this not raise indignation in the breath of every true American?".
Although a majority of US constitutional delegates did not favor establishing a monarchy, many wished to see the executive at least resemble a monarchy. Some argued that war powers, an absolute veto, and the ability to appoint judges comprised a monarchy, while others said that as long as the proposed executive was impeachable, he would not be a monarch.
The coalition of delegates in favor of a strong executive ended up having a significant influence on the powers of the president. Some believed that the delegates would not have made the president so powerful if they had not believed George Washington would be the first to hold the office. Although the Constitution doesn't establish executive features that reflect some conventional traits of monarchy, many of the president's powers and features were similar to those of monarchs at the time.
The Anti-Federalists mobilized against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country. In Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia, three crucial states, Anti-Federalists made ratification of the Constitution contingent on a Bill of Rights. Sensing that Anti-Federalist sentiment would sink ratification efforts, James Madison reluctantly agreed to draft a list of rights that the new federal government could not encroach. The Bill of Rights is a list of 10 constitutional amendments that secure the basic rights and privileges of American citizens.
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The liberties of the people were best protected by state governments
The Anti-Federalists believed that the liberties of the people were best protected by state governments, rather than a federal one. They argued that the new Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, creating a king-like office in the presidency. They believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch and that this would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital.
The Anti-Federalists wanted to protect the principles of the American Revolution, having fought against the consolidation of power in a distant, central government that claimed unlimited powers of taxation. They believed that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen and that the nation was too large for the national government to respond to the concerns of people on a state and local basis.
The Anti-Federalists also wanted guaranteed protection for certain basic liberties, such as freedom of speech and trial by jury. They believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous. This was a powerful argument against adopting the Constitution in each of the states.
The Federalists, on the other hand, argued that the new government supported the principles of separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism. They 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 promised to add a Bill of Rights if the Anti-Federalists would vote for the Constitution.
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The lack of a Bill of Rights would lead to tyranny
The Anti-Federalists, who opposed the ratification of the Constitution, believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, as opposed to a federal one. They argued that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states.
The Anti-Federalists also believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch and that this resemblance would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital. They saw the federal government as a distant, central government that claimed unlimited powers of taxation.
The original draft of the Constitution did not include a Bill of Rights, and Anti-Federalists in Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York made its ratification contingent on the inclusion of a Bill of Rights. They wanted guaranteed protection for certain basic liberties, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and trial by jury. They believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous.
In response to Anti-Federalist arguments, Federalists like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton defended the Constitution, arguing that it provided a necessary framework for a strong, effective central government capable of unifying the nation, protecting against foreign threats, and managing domestic affairs. They pointed to the built-in safeguards, such as the separation of powers and checks and balances, which they believed would prevent any one branch or person from becoming too powerful.
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The proposed constitution betrayed the principles of the American Revolution
The Anti-Federalists believed that the proposed constitution betrayed the principles of the American Revolution. They argued that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, resembling the consolidation of power in a distant, central government that the American Revolution had been fought against. The Anti-Federalists believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch, and that the federal government would become tyrannous without a Bill of Rights. They wanted guaranteed protection for basic liberties, such as freedom of speech and trial by jury.
The Anti-Federalists' view was that the states needed to stand individually without an overarching, omnipotent central government. They believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, rather than a federal one. They saw the Constitution as a threat to the republican governments of the states.
The Federalists, on the other hand, 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 that the checks and balances built into the Constitution would prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful. They argued that the national government only had the powers specifically granted to it under the Constitution and was prohibited from doing some things altogether.
The ratification process sparked an intense national debate between these two factions. The Federalists were led by men such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, while the Anti-Federalists were led by Patrick Henry and George Mason. The Federalists ultimately prevailed, and the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, with the Bill of Rights added in 1791.
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Frequently asked questions
The Anti-Federalists believed that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, while taking too much power away from state and local governments.
The Anti-Federalists believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, as opposed to a federal one. They also wanted a Bill of Rights to curtail the powers of the central government and guarantee people's individual liberties.
Leading Anti-Federalists included Patrick Henry, George Mason, Edmund Randolph, and Elbridge Gerry.
The Federalists believed that a stronger national government was necessary and that the nation might not survive without the passage of the Constitution. They argued that the document had many built-in safeguards to prevent any one branch or person from becoming too powerful, such as separation of powers and checks and balances.
The Federalists prevailed, and the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, going into effect in 1789. One of the most significant outcomes of the ratification debates was the promise to add a Bill of Rights, which helped sway skeptics in several states.
