Lesson 14 Flashcards
Federalists
Supporters of the constitution
The federalist: essays to
Rebut anti fed arguments
Federalists encouraged associates in the states to
Organize as quickly as possible when they agreed on state ratifying conventions
Believed that of state conventions acted quickly, then antifreeze would have
Little time to oppose
In Pennsylvania federalists knew that significant opposition in the western part of the state might
Defeat the constitution
Ratification debates on the states lasted
10 months
Hamilton Madison and John Jay published a series of
Essays under the pseudonym publius
These essays were used in the Virginia ratification debates and offer info about
Conflict over the constitution
Writers of the federalist were skilled at using
Basic ideas about gov that most Americans understood and accepted
Writers of the federalist presented the constitution as a
Well organized, agrees on plan for national gov.
Argued that constitution reflected a
New science of politics
Most Americans most likely agreed with anti fed argument that a republican gov couldn’t be
Sustained over a large and diverse nation
Argument had support in well known
Political theory
Federalists needed a new
Political theory
Madison turned classical republican arguments upside down in
Federalist 10
Madison: faction poses the greatest danger to
Governments of the people
(Madison’s arguments) if a faction consisted of a minority a democrat worked well because
Majority could outvote faction
(Madison’s arguments) faction consisted of a majority risk of majority tyranny arose. Thus,
A republic would work better
(Madison’s arguments) in small communities majority tyranny could arise because there would probably be no more than 2 sets of ideas on any question of those opposed to common good commanded a majority
The outcome would defeat common good and rights
Madison benefits of a large republic:
Many different factions- no majority
More fit characters for leadership
Good reps filter out ideas based on self interest
Dangers of factions defeated
Civic virtue can’t be relied on as sole support of a gov that can protect rights and promote welfare:
Republican gov is safe only if citizens have civic virtue
National gov created by the constitution does not rely solely on
Civic virtue
Unrealistic to believe that such a large amount of people will be willing to
Sacrifice their self interests for common benefit
Size and distance of te nail would serve as a
Check on any one interest making it unlikely for any interest or faction to dominate
The way constitution organizes gov is the best way to promote
Goals of republicanism
Rights and welfare is protected by the system of
Representation
Separation of powers and
Checks and balances
Method of electing officials would allow them to
Possess necessary qualities
Representation of different interests would protect
Basic rights
Legislative branch represents and protects
Peoples local interests and state interests
Executive branch represents and protects
National interests
Judicial branch ensures
Good judgement, responsible only to constitution
Hamilton argued that the constitution allowed national gov to exercise only
Enumerated powers
National gov has no authority over
Individuals
Adding bill of rights would insinuate that national gov had powers the constitution
Didn’t give it
Bill of rights was
Unnecessary
By June 1788 nine states ratified but
New York nor Virginia ratified
A compromise was reached in that federalists would support
Adding a bill of rights
Compromise deprived anti Feds of their most powerful argument against the
Constitution
Virginia and New York then
Ratified
Ratification by 11 stars still didn’t end
The debate
North Carolina had a convention that adjourned
Without voting
Rhode Island sent constitution constitution. To town meetings
Where it was rejected
With bill of rights North Carolina
Ratified
Rhode Island forced to ratify when providence threatened ro
Leave the state and join the union
George Washington also threatened Rhode Island with
Commercial restrictions
Faction: any group within a society that promoted its own
Self interest at the expense of the common goodb
