DBQs and Essay due Friday
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I will be after school in Room 1216 on
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday to help
with your papers! If you have questions, please
see me before Friday.
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Please attach rubric to DBQs and Essay!!!
The Great Constitution
Debate
Compare and contrast the differences
between the views of Federalists and
Anti-Federalists
How did the Articles of
Confederation divide up power?

WEAK national
Federal government, STRONG states
Why?

To avoid a repeat of the oppressions of Great
Britain.
What happened?

The Articles FAILED – not enough unity, not
enough power to the national
Federal government
What differences do you think we
will see in the new Constitution?
And now all Americans will agree
that it’s a wonderful document,
right?
Federalists and
Antifederalists
The two sides in the
Great Constitution Debate
Federalists


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Support a strong federal (national) government
Support the Constitution
Key figures:
Alexander Hamilton
 James Madison
 John Jay
 Wrote The Federalist Papers
to convince Americans
to support the Constitution

Values of Federalists




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Strong federal government can:
Protect people’s rights
Force states to participate, pay taxes,
contribute to the union
Fulfill the tasks required to run a country
Federalists tended to be wealthy, welleducated, and urban/industrial.
Antifederalists



Feared a strong federal government
Opposed the Constitution
Key figure:

Patrick Henry
“Give me liberty,
or give me death!”
Values of Antifederalists




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Strong federal governments can:
Take away people’s rights
Exercise too much power
Antifederalists tended to believe government
works best in smaller communities where all
people participate and know each other.
They were mostly rural/agricultural.
The Constitution must have a
stronger FEDERAL gov’t than
the Articles, but not so strong
that Antifederalists will vote
against it.
We want the new document to be
approved!
ratified
Elements that strengthen federal
power


Article I.18 is called the Elastic Clause. Why?
Elastic Clause: Constitution gives the national
government the power to do anything
“necessary and proper” to accomplish its tasks.
Elements that strengthen
FEDERAL power

The original Constitution did not have a Bill of
Rights. It did not list the specific rights of
Individuals that government can never take
away.