DBQ Ratifying the Constitution (Federalists vs Ant-Federalists) PDF

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DBQ: Ratifying the Constitution Historical Context: When The United States Constitution was written in 1787 and submitted to the states for ratification, it set off months of fierce and often bitter debate. There were, of course, many who welcomed it as a stronger and more effective national government which could successfully tie the 13 states together into one nation, The Articles of Confederation had been unable to do so. The supporters of the Constitution were known as Federalists. But others, known as antifederalists, were afraid of this proposed powerful new national government. Why should they now set up a new distant central government which could threaten their liberties just as King George and Parliament had? During the Constitutional Convention, George Mason suggested a Bill of Rights to protect the individual freedoms of the people from a powerful central government. The debate went on in towns and villages across the country for months. Some of the smaller states ratified the new Constitution quickly, but in most states the debate continued. Document Based Question: Who were the Federalist and the Anti-federalist and what were their feelings about the Constitution? How were their differences settled?

Document 1 Representatives should be a true picture of the people. They should understand their circumstances and their troubles. Therefore, the number of representatives should be so large that both rich and poor people will choose to be representatives. If the number of representatives is small, the position will be too competitive. Ordinary people will not attempt to run for office. A middle-class yeoman (farmer) will never be chosen. So, the government will fall into the hands of the few and the rich. This will be a government of oppression. The rich consider themselves above the common people, entitled to more respect. They believe they have the right to get anything they want. Melancton Smith, June 21, 1788

1. Is Smith happy with how the new Constitution deals with representation? Why or Why not? No, this is because he thinks that with the current rules of representation, the rich will be more likely to get elected as and representative and the poor will not be represented in government well. 2. What kind of government would Smith like to see? Smith would like to see a representative government with a large number of representatives. 3. Find a quote to support your claim from question #2: “Therefore, the number of representatives should be so large that both rich and poor people will choose to be representatives.” Document 2 4. Based on this document, of democracy people would support thisperfect point of view? Explain The Anti-Federalists seem to thinkwhat that asort pure would be the government. Experience has Peoplethat who are on isthe lessThe wealthy side will support point of view because then, they will more shown this idea false. ancient democracies ofthis Greece were characterized by tyranny andhave run by mobs. The Anti-Federalists also argue that a large representation is necessary to understand the interests of representation in government. the people. This is not true. Why can’t someone understand fifty people as well as he understands twenty people? The new constitution does not make a rich man more eligible for an elected office than a poor person. I also think it’s dangerous to assume that men become more wicked as they gain wealth and education. Look at all the people in a community, the rich and the poor, the educated and the ignorant. Which group has higher moral standards? Both groups engage in immoral or wicked behavior. But it would seem to me that the behavior of the wealthy is less wicked and sinful.

ch 2. What kind of government would Hamilton like to see? Hamilton would like to see a representative democracy. 3. Find a quote to support your claim from question # 2: “Why can’t someone understand fifty people as well as he understands twenty people?” 4. Based on this document, what sort of people would support this point of view? Federalists would support this point of view.

Document 3 I would propose next that in addition to the present federal powers, the national government should be armed with positive and compleat [complete] authority in all cases which require uniformity; such as the regulation of trade, including the right of taxing both exports and imports, and the fixing the terms and forms of naturalization. James Madison to George Washington, April 16, 1787

1. With what type of powers does Madison believe the national government should “be armed with positive and complete authority”? Explain Madison believes that the national government should “be armed with positive and complete authority” in cases that require uniformity (such as regulation of trade (including the right to tax both exports and imports)) 2. Does the author support or oppose the Constitution? The author supports the Constitution. 3. Find a quote to support your claim for question # 2: “and the fixing the terms and forms of naturalization”

Document 4 After such a declaration, what security does the Constitution of the several states afford the liberty of the press and other invaluable personal rights, not provided for by the new plan? Does not his sweeping clause subject everything to the controul [control] of Congress? In the plan of Confederation of 1778, now existing, it was thought proper by Article the 2d, to declare that each state retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence, and every power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled. George Byran, October 24, 1787

1. According to Byran, what rights were not provided for in the new Constitution? According to Byran, the rights to freedom of press, freedom and independence and jurisdiction of the states. 2. Under the new plan, everything will be subject to the control of what group? Under the new plan (of the Constition), everything will be subject to the control of Congress. 3. Does the author support or oppose the Constitution? The author opposes the Constitution. 4. Find a quote to support your claim for question # 3: “After such a declaration, what security does the Constitution of the several states afford the liberty of the press and other invaluable personal rights, not provided for by the new plan?”

Document 5 This excerpt is from a newspaper, The Massachusetts Sentinel, October 20, 1787. Let us look and [see] the [problems that exist] in every part of our country . . . the complaints of our farmers . . . the complaints of every class of [people who loan money] . . . the [sad] faces of our working people . . . our ships rotting in our harbors . . . the insults that are [made against America] in every court in Europe . . . View these things, fellow citizens, and then say that we do not require a new, a protecting, and efficient federal [national] government if you can.

1. Why does the editor of this newspaper support ratifying the Constitution? The editor of this newspaper supports ratifying the Constitution because without it, everyone in working class is complaining, every other country thinks that America does not have it together at all, and things are falling apart.

Document 6 This excerpt from "Observations on the New Federal Constitution and on the Federal and State Conventions," by Mercy Otis Warren. It originally appeared as a newspaper article in the spring of 1788.

There is no security in the system [under the proposed new U.S. Constitution] either for the rights of [people with different ideas] or the liberty of the press . . . The executive and the legislature are so dangerously [combined] that [it should cause people to be alarmed] . . . There is no [system] for [making sure that power does not stay] in the same hands for life.

1. Why was Mercy Otis Warren against the new Constitution? Mercy Otis Warren is against the new Constitution because she believes that in the current plan, there is no system of making sure that the government and congress does not completely take over and take the power away from the people.

Document 7 These excerpts are adapted from a letter written by George Washington to John Jay, dated August 1, 1786. In these lines, Washington is agreeing with Jay’s criticism of the Articles of Confederation. Your [opinion], that our [situation is quickly coming] to a crisis, [agree] with my own ... We have errors to correct. We have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation (i.e. the Articles of Confederation) . . . thirteen [powerful], independent, disunited States are in the habit of . . . refusing [to obey our national Congress] . . . [I pray that we can act in time to prevent the bad things we fear may happen].

1. What did Washington mean by saying "we have errors to correct?" When Washington says, “we have errors to correct,” he means that the Articles of Confederation are not working and that under those articles, the government is flawed and needs to be fixed (i.e. with the new Constitution).

Document 8 This excerpt is from a speech by Patrick Henry, a delegate to the Virginia State Constitutional Ratification Convention, given in June 1788. [The Constitution] is a [proposal] as [big a change] as [the document] which separated us from Great Britain (i.e. the Declaration of Independence). [It is such a major change because it has the following effect]; our rights and privileges are endangered [by the new Constitution], and the [power] of the states will be [given up] . . . The rights of [free thought], trial by jury, and liberty of the press . . . are [placed in danger].

1. Why does Patrick Henry oppose the Constitution? Patrick Henry opposes the Constitution because he believes that under it, their basic rights are in danger.

Document 9 During the Federal Convention, on September 12, 1787, Elbridge Gerry and George Mason proposed that a committee be appointed to prepare a Bill of Rights. This proposal was unanimously rejected by the State delegations, and in consequence both withheld their signatures from the new Constitution. With time others came to agree with Mason and the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution in 1789. Mason wrote his Objections to This Constitution of Government which began. "There is no Declaration of Rights, and the laws of the general government being paramount to the laws and constitution of the several States, (the federal laws are above state laws that protect rights) the Declarations of Rights in the separate States are no security."

1. Why did Mason believe the Constitution needed a Bill of Rights? Mason believes that the Constitution needed a Bill of Rights because he believed that without it, the federal laws are considered above the state laws (which protect the peoples rights).

Document 10 Federalists Alexander Hamilton John Adams George Washington

Anit-Federalists Thomas Jefferson James Madison

Types of people that supported the party

Large landowners Judges Lawyers Leading clergymen (preachers) Merchants

Small farmers Small landowners Debtors

Main beliefs

The Constitution should have implied powers.

Believe in limited federal powers — only enumerated powers (specifically stated powers)

Leaders

Want a strong federal government

Want strong state governments.

1. Why did the type of people that were Federalists support a strong, central government? Explain The type of people that were Federalists supported a strong, central government because they believed that their rights would be protected (because they had money) and that they could easily gain representation or that they would make more money because they held government jobs (such as judges). 2. Why did the type of people that were Anti-Federalists support strong state governments? Explain The type of people that were Anti-Federalists supported strong state governments because these people believed that their basic rights would not be upheld in government (because they did not have money) and that they would not get fair and equal representation.

Document 11

1. In which states were most of the Federalists located? Most of the Federalists were located in Virginia, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. 2. In which states were most of the Anti-Federalists located? Most of the Anti- Federalists were located in New York and North Carolina and Virginia. 3. What states were the first to ratify the Constitution? The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware. 4. Why do you think it took Virginia and New York so long to ratify the Constitution? It took Virginia and New York so long to ratify the Constitution because they had a large concentration of AntiFederalists.

Document 12

1. What about the Articles of Confederation caused a problem for the United States? The national government had little power over the states and every state had to agree on an amendment before it was officially accepted. Also, there was no executive and judicial branch. 2. Did the federal government have more power under the Articles of Confederation or the Constitution? Explain AND find two pieces of evidence from the chart. The federal government had more power under the Constitution. An example of this is that under the articles of confederation, taxes were collected by the states, whereas under the Constitution, Congress collected the taxes. Another example of this is that under the Articles of Confederation, the states were the source of congressional pay, meaning that the federal government could not regulate spending on congressional pay. This changed under the new Constitution where it says that the national government is the source of congressional pay.

3. Describe one major difference between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution and Explain how it had a significant impact on the federal government. One major difference between the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution is that under the Articles of Confederation, there was a unicameral congress, meaning that there was only one house. This changed under the Constitution because then, the government became a bicameral congress, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. This had a significant impact on the federal government because under a unicameral congress, there is a lack of control meaning that the government cannot do simple things needed to have a successful government, such as collect taxes. Under the Constitution, the bicameral congress makes it so that the government can preform simple tasks and has more control (although not too much under the Bill of Rights)....