The Constitution:
Federalists v. AntiFederalists
SSUSH5b
Essential Question:
What were the major arguments of the
federalists and the anti-federalists?
Vocabulary
Directions: Number your paper from 1 to 5 and write the words and
their correct definitions.
Words
1. controversy
2. right
3. anonymously
4. Federalist
5. Anti-federalist
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•
•
•
•
Definitions
something you have
that no one can take
from you
a person who did not
support the Constitution
a person who supported
the Constitution
to do something without
giving your name
argument
III. Ratifying the Constitution
A.
Reaction to the New Constitution
1.
2.
3.
Newspapers published the new Constitution
for the American people to read
Many were shocked at the changes
because the delegates said they were
meeting only to revise the Articles of
Confederation
People began to take sides:
a.
b.
Federalists: people who wanted to ratify the
new Constitution
Antifederalists: people who did not want to
ratify the new Constitution
III. Ratifying the Constitution
B.
Controversy over the
Constitution
1.
2.
Opponents argued that the
Constitution did not protect
individual rights, and that a
bill of rights was needed to
protect freedom of speech,
religion, and the press
Supporters argued that the
Constitution limited the
power of the national
government and that a bill
of rights was not necessary
III. Ratifying the Constitution
3. The Federalist
Papers
a. A series of 85 essays
written to defend the
Constitution
b. Published in New York
newspapers between
1787 and 1788
c. Written anonymously
by Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, and
John Jay
d. Analyzed and explained
the Constitution
III. Ratifying the Constitution
C. Federalists
1. Favored ratification of
the Constitution
2. Wanted a strong
national government
3. George Washington,
James Madison,
Alexander Hamilton
4. Bill of rights was not
necessary
5. Mostly urban;
merchants, skilled
workers, and laborers
6. New England
D. Antifederalists
1. Opposed ratification of
the Constitution
2. Wanted a weak
national government
that would not threaten
states’ rights
3. Patrick Henry, Samuel
Adams, and Thomas
Jefferson
4. Wanted a Bill of Rights
5. Mostly rural; farmers,
planters
6. Southern states
III. Ratifying the Constitution
E. Ratification
1. Eventually, the
Federalists agreed to
add a bill of rights to
the Constitution if the
states would ratify the
Constitution
2. In December, 1787,
Delaware became the
first state to ratify the
Constitution
3. In June, 1788, New
Hampshire became
the 9th to approve the
Constitution
III. Ratifying the Constitution
F. Adoption of the Bill
of Rights
1. In September, 1789,
Congress submitted
12 amendments to the
states for ratification
2. By December, 1791,
the states had ratified
10 of the
Amendments, which
came to be known as
the Bill of Rights
III. Ratifying the Constitution
G. The Bill of Rights
1. Freedom of speech,
religion, petition, the
press, and assembly
2. The right to bear arms
3. No soldiers quartered
in peoples’ homes
4. Protection against
unreasonable
searches and seizures
5. Protection against selfincrimination
6. Right to a speedy trial
7.
8.
Right to trial by jury trial
Protection from cruel and
unusual punishment
9. The people have more
rights than those in the
Constitution
10. The states have more
rights than those in the
Constitution
End