Difficult Road to Ratification
Opposing Sides
• Battle over ratification was between the
Federalist and Anti-federalist.
• Federalist were in favor of a strong central
government
• Anti-federalist were opposed to the new
constitution as drafted
Public Relations
• Federalist Papers
– An attempt to persuade the public to support the
new form of government.
– 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay,
and James Madison
– Under the pseudonym – Publius
• ‘friend of the people’
– Best example of political theorizing produced in
the U.S.
Public Relations
• Anti-federalist
• Many strong patriots like Sam Adams and Patrick Henry
• Claimed the USC was written by aristocrats
and would lead to aristocratic tyranny
• Believed USC would create an overbearing
central government hostile to personal liberty
• Originally doesn’t include Bill of Rights
• Believed Montesquieu that a republic wasn’t
possible on large scale.
March to the Finish
State
Date
For
Against
Delaware
12/7/1787
30
0
Pennsylvania
12/12/1787 43
23
New Jersey
12/18/1787 38
0
Georgia
1/2/1788
26
0
Connecticut
1/9/1788
128
40
Massachusetts
2/6/1788
187
168
Maryland
4/28/1788
63
11
South Carolina
5/23/1788
149
73
New Hampshire
6/21/1788
57
46
Virginia
6/25/1788
89
79
New York
7/26/1788
30
27
North Carolina
11/21/1789 194
77
Rhode Island
5/29/1790
34
32
1068
576
Did America Support USC?
• 1913 book – Economic Interpretation of the
Constitution of the United States
• Beard’s Thesis
– Produced by wealthy elite to protect their
property rights
– Imposed by undemocratic means
• Never a popular vote on whether to hold convention
• Only white male property owners could vote
Did America support the USC?
• State ratifying conventions:
– Only 150,000 people elected delegates to
Ratifying conventions (pop – 4 million)
• Some speculate majority favored Antifederalist positions
• Anti-federalist not as well funded as Federalist
Support was Probably Widespread
• Perception that a strong central government
was necessary to keep order and protect the
public welfare
– Common among all classes
• Need for a strong central government a major
point
– Crafted a limited government
U.S. Constitution
• U.S. Constitution through its system of checks
and balances, favors a limited government
over an ‘energetic’ government.
Summary Questions
• Summarize the arguments in favor of adopting
the Constitution and those arguments against
it.
• Use half sheet paper to respond to question
and turn in before leaving class.