Jonah Patel
The Anti-Federalists were a political movement that opposed the creation of a stronger US federal government and the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. They believed that the Constitution would lead to a loss of individual liberties, an erosion of state sovereignty, and the potential for tyranny. Led by Patrick Henry of Virginia, Anti-Federalists advocated for a more decentralized form of government with greater protections for individual rights and stronger representation for the states. They believed that the position of president might evolve into a monarchy. The Anti-Federalists' influence helped lead to the enactment of the Bill of Rights, which secures the basic rights and privileges of American citizens.
Characteristics of people who were against the Constitution
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Anti-Federalists |
| Pseudonyms | Brutus (likelyMelancton Smith</co: 6,16>, Centinel (likely Samuel Bryan), Federal Farmer, Cato (likely George Clinton) |
| Famous figures | Patrick Henry, Melancton Smith |
| Beliefs | Liberties of people are best protected when power resides in state governments, not federal; the federal government would become tyrannous without a Bill of Rights; strong national government proposed by Federalists was a threat to individual rights and the president would become king-like |
| Tactics | Published articles and gave speeches against ratification of the Constitution; wrote under pseudonyms |
| States with strong opposition | North Carolina, Rhode Island, Massachusetts |
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What You'll Learn
- Anti-Federalists' pseudonyms: Brutus, Centinel, Federal Farmer, Cato
- Famous Anti-Federalists: Patrick Henry, Melancton Smith, George Clinton
- Anti-Federalist beliefs: Liberties best protected by state governments, not federal
- Federalist tactics: Co-opting the name 'Federalist' to obscure Anti-Federalist position
- Anti-Federalist publications: The Anti-Federalist Papers, a series of articles and speeches
Anti-Federalists' pseudonyms: Brutus, Centinel, Federal Farmer, Cato
During the lengthy and heated national debate following the 1787 convention in Philadelphia, both Federalists and Anti-Federalists wrote extensively in favour of their respective positions. The Anti-Federalists, who proved unable to stop the ratification of the US Constitution, which took effect in 1789, published their arguments under pseudonyms. These included Brutus, Cato, Centinel, and the Federal Farmer.
Brutus
The Brutus pseudonym was likely a reference to the famous Roman republican who assassinated Julius Caesar to prevent him from becoming a king. Brutus published 16 letters addressed to the Citizens of the State of New York in the New-York Journal and the Weekly Register. Justice Robert Yates is the presumed author of the Brutus letters.
Cato
Cato was the pseudonym of an anonymous Anti-Federalist author publishing in New York during the Constitution's Ratification Debates. Between 27 September 1787 and 3 January 1788, seven articles were published in The New-York Journal, and Daily Patriotic Register by an anonymous author using the pseudonym Cato. Cato is thought to have been New York Governor George Clinton. The pen name Cato was likely chosen for two reasons: the ancient Roman leader who defended republican values against Julius Caesar, and a popular book written about 70 years earlier in Britain called 'Cato's Letters'.
Centinel
Centinel was the pseudonym used by Samuel Bryan, an Anti-Federalist.
Federal Farmer
The Federal Farmer was the pseudonym used by an anonymous Anti-Federalist who wrote a methodical assessment of the proposed United States Constitution. The assessment appeared in the form of two pamphlets, the first published in November 1787 and the second in December 1787. The letters, which were addressed to "The Republican," were signed only with the pseudonym "the Federal Farmer." The identity of the author is unknown, but scholars have suggested Richard Henry Lee and Melancton Smith as possibilities, with recent evidence suggesting Smith is the most likely author. "The Republican" was most likely New York state governor George Clinton.
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Famous Anti-Federalists: Patrick Henry, Melancton Smith, George Clinton
Those who were against the constitution were called Anti-Federalists. One of the most prominent Anti-Federalists was Patrick Henry, who is remembered for his famous declaration: "Give me liberty or give me death". Henry was a symbol of the homeschooling movement, having been educated at home by his father. He never held national office but is considered one of the major figures of the American Revolution. He opposed Madison's effort to become a federal senator from Virginia and supported John Adams as president in 1796.
Another important Anti-Federalist was Melancton Smith, a merchant, lawyer, and New York delegate to the Continental Congress. Smith was an important landowner and has been described as the most important Anti-Federalist theorist and spokesman. He was a delegate to the first New York Provincial Congress in 1775 and was appointed Sheriff of Dutchess County in 1777. He served in this role until 1781, when he was also elected to be the Justice of the Peace in Dutchess County. Smith was an active and central figure in the ratification of the United States Constitution and was a member of the State ratification convention at Poughkeepsie in 1788, where he got into heated debates with Alexander Hamilton. He is cited as the likely author of prominent Anti-Federalist essays written under the pen names Brutus and The Federal Farmer.
George Clinton was also a prominent Anti-Federalist and the longest-serving governor in US history at the time. He opposed the ratification of the Constitution and advocated for the addition of the Bill of Rights. Clinton was a leader of the incipient Democratic-Republican Party and served as their vice-presidential candidate in 1792. He was later selected as President Jefferson's running mate in the 1804 election.
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Anti-Federalist beliefs: Liberties best protected by state governments, not federal
The Anti-Federalists were those who were against the ratification of the Constitution. They believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, as opposed to a federal one. They thought that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states.
The Anti-Federalists believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch and that this would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation’s capital. They were concerned that the strong national government proposed by the Federalists was a threat to the rights of individuals and that the president would become king-like. They also believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous.
The Anti-Federalists included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and laborers. In national politics, 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.
The Anti-Federalists mobilized against the Constitution in state legislatures across the country. They argued that without any limitations, the proposed Constitution would make “the state governments… dependent on the will of the general government for their existence”. In many states, opposition to the Constitution was strong, and in two states—North Carolina and Rhode Island—it prevented ratification until the definite establishment of the new government practically forced their adherence.
The Anti-Federalists' opposition to ratifying the Constitution was a powerful force in the origin of the Bill of Rights to protect Americans' civil liberties. Their concerns of excessive federal power led to the Bill of Rights reserving any power not given to the federal government for the states and the people.
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Federalist tactics: Co-opting the name 'Federalist' to obscure Anti-Federalist position
The authors of the Anti-Federalist Papers, a collection of articles and speeches against the ratification of the Constitution, were those who opposed the Constitution. They wrote under pseudonyms such as "Brutus", "Centinel", and "Federal Farmer". The name "Anti-Federalist" was imposed on them by their opponents, the Federalists, to suggest that they were against the very political ideas they embraced.
The Federalists, or the nationalists, were supporters of the Constitution. They were better organized and connected, and included figures such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, who wrote a series of powerful newspaper essays known as The Federalist Papers. By calling themselves Federalists, they deprived their opponents of the ability to clearly signal what they stood for. Historian Carol Berkin calls this tactic "brilliant".
The Anti-Federalists rejected the term "Anti-Federalist", arguing that they were the true Federalists. They tried to capture the term in their correspondence and local groups. For example, an unknown anti-federalist signed his public correspondence as "A Federal Farmer", and the New York committee opposing the Constitution was called the "Federal Republican Committee".
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 believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous. They attacked the Constitution on several fronts, including the lack of a bill of rights, discrimination against southern states in navigation legislation, direct taxation, and the loss of state sovereignty.
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Anti-Federalist publications: The Anti-Federalist Papers, a series of articles and speeches
The people who were against the US Constitution were known as Anti-Federalists. 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 believed that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous.
The Anti-Federalist Papers are a selection of written arguments against the US Constitution by the Anti-Federalists. The authors of these works did not organize together as a group, but instead used the medium of print to spread their ideas individually. The Anti-Federalist Papers were written in response to The Federalist Papers, a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison, urging New Yorkers to ratify the proposed United States Constitution.
The Anti-Federalist Papers were originally published in newspapers under pseudonyms, such as "Brutus" (likely Melancton Smith), "Centinel" (likely Samuel Bryan), and "Federal Farmer." The authors of these essays were unable to stop the ratification of the US Constitution, which took effect in 1789. However, their writing influenced the nature and shape of the United States Bill of Rights.
The most frequently cited contemporary collection of the Anti-Federalist Papers is The Complete Anti-Federalist, compiled by Herbert Storing and Murray Dry of the University of Chicago and published in 1981. This work is considered by many to be the authoritative compendium on the publications.
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Frequently asked questions
People who were against the Constitution were called Anti-Federalists.
The Anti-Federalists believed that the Constitution would lead to a loss of individual liberties, an erosion of state sovereignty, and the potential for the rise of tyranny. They advocated for a more decentralized form of government with greater protections for individual rights and stronger representation for the states.
The leading spokespeople of the Anti-Federalists were largely state-centered men with regional and local interests and loyalties. Some famous revolutionary figures who publicly opposed the Constitution included Patrick Henry, Mercy Otis Warren, and George Mason.
The Anti-Federalist Papers were a series of articles published to combat the Federalist campaign. These papers communicated the concerns of the Anti-Federalists, who believed that a bill of rights was essential to protect the people from the federal government.
Although Delaware, Georgia, and New Jersey ratified the Constitution quickly with little controversy, there was strong opposition in many other states, especially North Carolina and Rhode Island, where civil war almost broke out due to resistance against the Constitution.
