Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Origins of American Government
Section 5
MAIN IDEA
Before the Constitution could take effect, a heated debate between those in favor
of the Constitution and those who opposed it took place in all the states.
Key Terms
Federalists supporters of the Constitution
Antifederalists opponents of the Constitution
Publius the pen name used by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in a
series of articles defending the Constitution
Federalist Papers essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
to defend the Constitution
Bill of Rights a series of 10 amendments to the Constitution ratified by the states that
protect such rights as freedom of speech, press, and religion, as well as due process
protections
Taking Notes
As you read, take notes on the ratification debate. Record your notes in the
graphic organizer below.
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Section 5 continued
Section Summary
ANTIFEDERALISTS VERSUS FEDERALISTS
The Framers were aware that the existing Congress
and state legislatures would not be happy with the
new, stronger national government they were
proposing. Therefore, they had included a process for
ratifying the Constitution that would bypass both
groups, instead calling for voters to elect
representatives to a state ratifying convention. The
Constitution would become law once 9 of the 13 states
ratified it.
The battle for ratification involved the
Antifederalists, the opponents of the Constitution,
and Federalists, the supporters of the Constitution.
Antifederalists claimed that the national government
proposed by the Constitution would become too
strong and threaten republicanism and state
sovereignty. They also criticized the absence of a bill
of rights, without which they feared the new national
government could violate personal civil liberties with
no fear of punishment. Federalists countered that a
sufficiently powerful national government would
strengthen the union of the states and have the power
to defend the nation against foreign enemies, regulate
trade, and control internal disturbances like the earlier
Shays’s Rebellion. Federalists also highlighted how
the separation of powers officially limited federal
power.
THE FEDERALIST PAPERS
In order to summon more support for ratification,
prominent Federalists James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton, and John Jay, under the pen name Publius,
wrote the Federalist Papers, a series of articles
defending the Constitution for New York newspapers.
The 85 articles—each of which discussed principles
underlying the Constitution, such as checks and
balances—were collected into a single volume of
essays and widely circulated, strongly influencing the
ratification debate. Antifederalists responded with
essays of their own that frequently addressed the
importance of liberty and the guarantee of
“unalienable and fundamental rights.”
What arguments did
Antifederalists make
against ratifying the
Constitution?
_______________________
_______________________
What was the point of the
Federalist Papers?
_______________________
_______________________
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Section 5 continued
THE FIGHT FOR RATIFICATION
The Federalists had been better prepared for the fight
over ratification than the Antifederalists, quickly
pointing out to small states that they would have equal
representation in the Senate, despite their small
populations. Yet Federalists found the largest and
most powerful states difficult to persuade. Federalists
finally agreed to the Antifederalists’ demand for a bill
of rights. This change had a remarkable effect on
ratification. On June 21, 1788, the ninth state ratified
the Constitution, and the remaining 4 states ratified it
shortly thereafter.
Once the first Congress met, James Madison
emphasized that the promised bill of rights should be
proposed and ratified quickly. Madison suggested a
number of amendments, or changes to the
Constitution, that reflected earlier declarations of
rights, including the English Bill of Rights and the
Declaration of Independence. In September 1789,
Congress sent 12 amendments to the states for
ratification. By December 1791, the states had ratified
10 of the amendments. Traditionally called the Bill of
Rights, these 10 amendments protect a number of
civil liberties and civil rights, including the freedom of
speech, press, and religion.
How was the Bill of Rights
added to the Constitution?
_______________________
_______________________
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