Chapter 2 Content Statement
Content Statement 6
Cite arguments from the Federalist Papers and/or the AntiFederalist Papers that supported their position on the issue
of how well the Constitution upheld the principle of limited
government.
Section 5 at a Glance
Ratification and the Bill of Rights
• Ratification of the Constitution involved a heated debate between
those who supported the Constitution and those who opposed it.
• Antifederalists opposed the Constitution because it lacked a bill of
rights.
• The Federalist Papers outlined the key ideas of the Federalists, who
supported the Constitution.
• The struggle for ratification took place in every state.
Ratification and the Bill of Rights
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.
Reading Focus
• What were the main points of the disagreement between the
Antifederalists and the Federalists?
• What were the main arguments made by the authors of the Federalist
Papers?
• Why was the Bill of Rights important to the ratification of the
Constitution?
The Fight for Ratification
Chapter 2-5 vocab p. 57
• Federalists
• Antifederalists
• Pubulius
• Federalist Papers
• Bill of Rights
Chapter 2-5 vocab p. 57
• Federalists: group of people who supported the adoption of the
U.S. Constitution and a strong national government.
• Antifederalists: a group of people who opposed the adoption of
the U.S. Constitution.
• Pubulius: the pen name that Framers Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison, and John Jay used when writing the Federalist
Papers; Latin for “public man”.
• Federalist Papers: collection of essays on the principles of
government written in defense of the Constitution in 1787 and
1788.
• Bill of Rights: the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution
concerning basic individual liberties.
1. Antifederalists versus Federalists
• Constitutional Convention adjourned September 17, 1787
• Drastic changes in plan for government surprised some,
angered others
• New national government would
– Greatly reduce powers of state legislatures
– Completely restructure Congress
• Framers outlined process for ratifying Constitution
– Voters in each state to elect representatives to state ratifying
convention. Bypass legislatures.
– To become law, Constitution had to be ratified by 9 of 13
states
• Two factions
– Federalists supported Constitution
– Antifederalists opposed Constitution
2. The Antifederalists
• Recognized need for stronger national government but thought Constitution
betrayed ideals of American Revolution
• Saw document as assault on state sovereignty, republicanism, liberty of the
people. Representative government could only exist in small territories.
• Believed national government would become too powerful
• Strongest criticism—Constitution lacked bill of rights guaranteeing civil
liberties. No protection for individual rights.
3. The Federalists
• Enthusiastic supporters of powerful, vigorous national government
• Feared central government that was too strong, but feared weak government
more
• Believed sufficiently powerful national government would strengthen fragile
union, promote public good
• Government would be empowered to defend against foreign enemies,
regulate trade, and put down internal disturbances.
• Believed separation of powers in Constitution put limits on government power
4. The Federalist Papers
Writing Team
• Alexander Hamilton, James
Madison, John Jay
• Wrote under pen name, Publius—
one of founders of Roman Republic
• Authored 85 essays total
Defended Constitution
• Papers 10 and 51 argued
Constitution would balance influence
of different factions
• Others explained how principles of
government would limit national
authority, preserve liberty
Best Commentary
• Circulated throughout the states
• Classic statement of American
political theory
• Collectively called the Federalist
Papers
Rebuttal Essays
• Antifederalists published own essays
• Protecting liberty a chief concern
• “Certain unalienable and fundamental
rights…ought to be explicitly ascertained and
fixed.”
The Fight for Ratification
Because they did not trust government, the Antifederalists wanted the basic
rights of the people spelled out in the Constitution. The struggle over the Bill of
Rights became a key focus in the fight over ratification.
5. Winning Over the States
• Federalists better prepared
• Targeted small states
• Delaware first to ratify, December 7,
1787
• Ratification harder in larger, more
powerful states
• Promise of adding bill of rights key
to winning many states
• New Hampshire ratifies June 21,
1788 and Constitution takes effect.
• Eventually all 13 states ratified
6. Bill of Rights
• First Congress made bill of rights one
of government’s first priorities
• Ideas for these rights had been
voiced in Declaration of
Independence, elsewhere
• December 1791: 10 amendments,
traditionally called the Bill of Rights,
ratified
• Protected freedom of speech, press,
religion, due process, right to fair trial,
trial by jury
7. Landmark Supreme Court Cases Schenck v. United States (1919)
Why It Matters:
Are the rights outlined in the Bill of Rights guaranteed absolutely?
The Supreme Court’s decision in Schenck v. United States
considered what limits, if any, could be set on free speech without
violating the individual freedoms outlined in the First Amendment.
Arthur Schenck arrested for generating materials that opposed
WWI and the draft.
What is the policy on war protest and the draft today?
Compare the Espionage Act of 1917 to current laws, such as the
Patriot Act, that deal with treason, sedition, and subversive
activities. What effect do you think the limitation of free speech
has on American democracy today?
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
Individual Rights and the U.S. Constitution
The Framers of the Constitution believed that individual rights
had to be protected from government interference. To ensure
the adoption of the Constitution, they promised to add a bill of
rights that would safeguard individual rights.
• Who may hold rights?
• What are common categories of rights?
• What kinds of rights does the Bill of Rights protect?
• What are the meaning and importance of the Ninth and Tenth
Amendments?