Federalists and Anti-Federalists

1. Federalists and Anti-Federalists What’s the difference?

2. Review Under the terms of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, new states admitted to the Union A. Could not take part in presidential elections B. Were considered equal to existing states C. Were required to defend Native American lands D. Were required to allow slavery Answer: B

3. TPO We will analyze the arguments for and against the ratification of the U.S. Constitution using an interactive cloze, pair/shares, choral responses, and a poster.

4. Enter the Time Machine • The year is 1787 • The Revolutionary War is over, and the United States of America is now on its own to decide how to rule itself • Being a new country isn’t easy: • The states disagree about what kind of government they want • The framers disagree about what kind of government they want • People are becoming frustrated and rebelling against the current government

5. Enter the Constitution Pair Share 1 - Will the states approve the Constitution? • At the Constitutional Convention, representatives from each state (except Rhode Island) begin to write a list of rules to replace the weak Articles of Confederation • Most delegates want a strong national government • However, they also wanted to have strong local governments • After much debate, the Constitution was finally signed in September 1787 • It was then sent to the states to be approved But the story doesn’t end there…

6. The drafting of the new United States Constitution was only the beginning of the process to make it the law of the land. • In order for this to happen, at least nine of the thirteen states would have to ratify the Constitution. • The debate over ratification would split the political leaders of the time. • People who supported ratification of the Constitution were Federalists, and those who opposed the new Constitution were Anti-Federalists. • The debate over ratification of the Constitution would take place on the pages of the many newspapers and pamphlets that circulated in the country. • Choral Response – • - How many states had to approve the Constitution for it to become ratified and be the supreme law of the land? • What was the group called that supported the ratification of the Constitution? • What was the group called that opposed the ratification of the Constitution? The Ratification Process

7. Enter the Anti-Federalists • Some framers thought the Constitution gave the government too much power • They argued that states should have more power because they were closer to the people…what could a national government possibly know about state and city problems? • Also, there was no Bill of Rights – nothing that said what people can and cannot do • Those opposed set out to campaign against the Constitution, arguing that it would create a government with so much power, it would just be like having a king again.

8. The Anti-Federalist papers were a series of editorials the put down the Constitution. • The primary argument of the Anti-Federalists was that the new government was too powerful and threatened the rights of the states and their citizens. • While most of the Anti-Federalist papers were written anonymously, historians are confident they have identified several of these writers. The Anti-Federalists George Clinton “Cato” Richard Henry Lee “Federal Farmer” Robert Yates “Brutus” and “Sydney” Mercy Otis Warren “Columbian Patriot” Samuel Bryan “ ”

9. Anti-Federalists opposed ratification of the Constitution. They argued that although the Articles of Confederation needed to be improved, the proposed Constitution granted too much power to the national government. Some of the more famous Anti-Federalists included Patrick Henry, George Mason, George Clinton, and Thomas Paine. Other Anti-Federalists preferred to remain anonymous Patrick Henry The Anti-Federalists George Mason Thomas Paine

10. So…Do You Agree? Pair Share 2 • What do you think… • Is the national government too big? • Do we really need a Bill of Rights? • What’s better for the people – a strong national government or a strong state government? • At this point…would you vote to approve the Constitution as it is? You have to wonder what the other side thinks…

11. Enter the Federalists • The Federalists supported the Constitution as it was. After all, it was decided upon by representatives from each state • The Constitution had a strong sense of CHECKS AND BALANCES, or a balance of power between the three branches of the national government and the local and state governments • The Federalists wrote the “Federalist Papers” to encourage states to approve the Constitution

12. Alexander Hamilton Federalists supported ratification of the Constitution. Madison, who had been a key figure in drafting of the Constitution, along with Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and others answered criticisms of the new Constitution. These men wanted to push the ratification of the Constitution and to influence future interpretations of the Constitution. The Federalists John Jay James Madison

13. The Federalist, was a series of eighty-five articles written and published between September 1787 and August 1788. The articles presented arguments in favor of the new Constitution. Although all of the articles are signed Publius, it was well known the main authors were Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Hamilton wrote the first essay in response to a series of Anti-Federalist articles criticizing the Constitution. Most of these essays were published in The New York Packet and The Independent Journal. The Federalist Papers

14. So…Do You Agree? • What do you think… • Does the national government work fine the way it is? • Do we really need a Bill of Rights if everything is so well done in the Constitution? • At this point…would you vote to approve the Constitution as it is? Wonder what happens next… Pair Share 2 Continued

15. Enter the “Fight” • The Constitution needed 9 of the 13 states to approve it in order for it to become law • Both sides (the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists) tried to convince people their side was correct • After great debate, the states finally ratified the Constitution…only if there was a Bill of Rights

16. Enter the Bill of Rights • While Federalists didn’t think it was really necessary, they agreed to add a Bill of Rights so that both sides would be happy • The rights would be added as amendments…meaning they were seen as “official changes, corrections, or additions” • The Bill of Rights were based upon the constitutions developed by the states • There were a total of ten amendments added…and they became known as “The Bill of Rights” Choral Response – What did the Federalists agree to to if the Anti-Federalists would support the ratification of the Constitution?

17. Who Was Right? Pair Share 3 • Which side had the best argument…the Federalists or the Anti-Federalists? • Why? • Does the Constitution really need a Bill of Rights? Why or why not? • If you were alive back in 1787, how would you vote?

18. Both sides in the debate between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists won. The Federalists won when the Constitution finally was ratified and became the law of the land. The Constitution established the federal government as the central authority. The Ant-Federalists won because the Bill of Rights would guarantee the rights of citizens. The Result James Madison presents the Bill of Rights to Congress. While twelve amendments were originally proposed, only ten were sent to the states for ratification.

19. Assignment • In partners, create a two-sided poster: • On one side, create an advertisement for the Federalist position. • On the other side, create an advertisement for the Anti-Federalist position. • You must include at least two arguments made by each side. • A picture • 3-5 colors • Use your notes and the handout as your reference

20. I am James Madison…. And I am a federalist Example Federalist Federalist ROCKS!!!!! We want a strong national government… oh yeah We wrote the federalist Papers… What

21. Assignment • In partners, create a two-sided poster: • On one side, create an advertisement for the Federalist position. • On the other side, create an advertisement for the Anti-Federalist position. • You must include at least two arguments made by each side. • A picture • 3-5 colors • Use your notes and the handout as your reference

22. Mastery Question/Closure Analyze the arguments for and against the ratification of the constitution by … • Stating the strengths and weaknesses of each side’s point of view • Explaining how each side’s argument had valid points. • Describing how each side communicated their message to the public and how that strengthened or weakened their message