Constitution Debate
FEDERALISTS VS. ANTIFEDERALISTS
Quick Comparison
FEDERALISTS
ANTIFEDERALISTS
 Scrapping of the Articles of Confederation
 Amending the Articles led government
 Supported limiting the power of the state to
allow for a more effective federal government
 Preferred states retain their influence and
power for fear of a corrupt monarchical elite
 Favored an equal, but divided, three part
government in the form of Executive,
Legislative, and Judicial branches
 Preferred the direct representatives of the
people, Congress/Legislative, to be the power
of the government
 Argued for a single chief executive
 Feared an individual with king-like powers
 Chiefly supported by the economic elites
 Support from lower class and rural areas
 Felt the Constitution protected all
 Demanded a separate bill of rights
Timeline
Federalists
Antifederalists
1765 – Patrick Henry’s Virginia Resolves
1786 – Shays’ Rebellion
 1767 – Passing of Townshend Revenue Acts
 1787 – Constitutional Convention
 1770 – Boston Massacre
 1788 – U.S. Constitution officially ratified
 1773 – Boston Tea Party
 1789 – Washington sworn in as President
 1774 – First Continental Congress
 1790 – D.C. site selected and approved
 1775 – Second Continental Congress
 1795 – Jay’s Treaty argued by Jefferson
 1776 – Declaration of Independence
 1796 – Adams elected President
 1777 – Articles of Confederation adopted
 1798 – Alien & Sedition Acts
 1781 – Cornwallis surrenders
 1800 – Jefferson elected President
 1783 – Treaty of Paris ratified
 1803 – Louisiana Purchase
The Federalists
(Trumbull, 1806)
Alexander Hamilton
(Stuart, 1794)
John Jay
(Trumbull, 1806)
James Madison
(Stuart, 1797)
George Washington
Key Federalist Writings
- Published under the collective pen name “Publius”
Federalist no. 1 – Alexander Hamilton
- Announcing the opportunity for a chosen government by and for the people.
Federalist no. 10 – James Madison
- Argument emphasizing the power of the majority, and the potential for corruption and tyranny
against the minority, and the need for protection of the minority.
Federalist no. 51 – James Madison
- Introduction of a checks and balances system essential to separating and equalizing the power
of all three branches of government, and the dangers of a government of men.
- A third author, John Jay, would also be an instrumental contributor
The Anti-federalists
(Mathews, circa 1891)
Patrick Henry
(Graham, 1797)
Samuel Adams
(Ames, n.d.)
George Clinton
Key Anti-Federalist Writings
Brutus I
Is it possible for a cultural melting pot society to sustain liberty and self-government without
sacrifice by one or another?
Brutus II
It is human nature to sacrifice the common good for self-interested purposes requiring a bill of
rights to secure the rights and liberties of the people.
Antifederalist no. 17
“Necessary and proper” authority for the central government will eventually overtake the
secured rights of the state’s authority.
All pictures are from commons.wikimedia
Ames, E. (n.d.). George Clinton [Portrait]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:George_Clinton#/media/File:George_Clinton_by_Ezra_Ames.jpg
Graham. (1797). Samuel Adams [Portrait]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Governor_Samuel_Adams.jpg
Matthews, G. (c. 1891). Patrick Henry [Portrait]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Patrick_Henry#/media/File:Patrick_henry.JPG
Stuart, G. (1797). George Washington [Portrait]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/George_Washington#/media/File:Gilbert_Stuart_Williamstown_Portrait_of_Georg
e_Washington.jpg
Stuart, G. (1794). John Jay [Portrait]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/John_Jay#/media/File:John_Jay_(Gilbert_Stuart_portrait).jpg
Trumbull, J. (1806). Alexander Hamilton [Portrait]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton#/media/File:Alexander_Hamilton_portrait_by_John_Trumbul
l_1806.jpg
Vanderlyn, J. (1816). James Madison [Portrait]. Retrieved from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/James_Madison#/media/File:James_Madison.jpg