Federalists and Anti-Federalists Improving Constitution
Uploaded by Slickest Nicca on Sep 20, 2006
In the years after the Revolution, the Articles of Confederation were put into power as an attempt of a republic government. The Confederation failed miserably and a Constitutional Convention was held in Annapolis and then in Philadelphia. They drew up a Constitution that was not supported by a group called the Anti- Federalists. Even with this opposition, the Constitution became the backbone of the first government of the United States of America and one of the best pieces of writing in America and the world.
The Federalists of the time included upper classes, merchants, and many people who knew the country would be stronger when it could control and adjust power. Some important people affiliated with the Federalists include George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Samuel Adams and John Hay. Alexander Hamilton helped ratify the Constitution more than any one and believed that the president should have rule for life. Federalists wanted a strong central government. They made it so that the power between the states and Federal government. They made a system of checks and balances that would not allow any one branch of government to get too much power. Anti- federalists did not trust this.
The Anti- Federalist were made up by small shopkeepers, debtors, farmers, down struck people. Some prominent figures were Richard Henry Lee, George Mason, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, and George Clinton of New York. The people also saw themselves of a particular state rather than the country as a whole. They did not like the fact that the Bill of Rights had to be added, power to tax, and how the president was elected; by the Electoral College. The major fear of the Anti- Feds was the power of the president. The power was so indeterminate and likely to develop. The president could become a king, resulting in loss of rights for states and rule of only the wealthy. There was a lack of guaranteed individual rights. Debate over ratification followed regional economic interests.
Saying the Articles of Confederation was not successful is an understatement. The Articles failed horribly. In the Articles, Congress could not gather taxes; regulate interstate trade or foreign trade. Each state had only one vote in Congress, regardless of population and nine out of thirteen states had to agree to pass law. The Articles could only be amended by a unanimous approval of all states. No executive...