FEDERALIST AND ANTIFEDERALIST DEBATE APUSH Spiconardi All communities

FEDERALIST AND ANTIFEDERALIST DEBATE APUSH - Spiconardi

All communities divide themselves into the few and the many. The first are the rich and wellborn, the other the mass of the people…The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore to the first class a distinct, permanent share in the government. They will check the unsteadiness of the second, and as they cannot receive any advantage by a change, they therefore will ever maintain good government. What is your reaction to Alexander Hamilton’s quote? To what extent do you agree or disagree with him?

The Ratification Debate • Ratification of the Constitution was not certain • There were fears that the new federal government would violate the rights and liberties of citizens • To generate support for the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of 85 essays • These essays became known as The Federalist

The Federalist • Federalist 10 & Federalist 51 • James Madison argues that government must be based on the will of the people, but the people are susceptible to enthusiasm • “Faction…a number of citizens, whether amounting to a minority or majority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community” • Protection of property rights was the “first object of government. ” • Large republics could limit and control the power of factions • Reinforces the desire of westward expansion as essential to securing liberty Can you think of examples of factions in America today?

The Anti-Federalists • Opponents of ratification were called Anti-Federalists • Anti-Federalist Position • Read Melancton Smith’s of New York words from the state’s ratifying convention to ascertain the Anti-Federalist position.

The Bill of Rights • Anti-Federalists desired a bill of rights to protect liberties against the proposed new government as well as states’ rights • In order to ensure the Constitution’s ratification, Madison agreed to amend the document • Federalists believed a bill of rights was redundant. • Madison even argued that no bill of rights could anticipate how Congress might abuse its authority. Can you think of an example where all the branches of government allowed for liberties to be disregarded?

Discussion Questions • Who was right? Madison or Smith? • Which current presidential candidate would probably see government from the Federalist point of view? Which would see government from the Anti-Federalist point of view? • With whom do you agree, Federalist or Anti-Federalist, and why?