The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the Anti-federalist leaders -- Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Eldridge Gerry, and Patrick Henry -- opposed the ratification of the Constitution because they believed the states should be the primary protectors of individual rights. The author relates that the Federalists leaders -- John Adams, James Madison, George Washington, and Alexander Hamilton -- supported a strong government that would reign in selfish human instincts and channel them toward the pursuit of the common good. The paper reports that the Federalists won the debate: Therefore, the Constitution provides a strong federal government; but the Anti-federalists were important because they prevented the federal government from gaining too many powers and saw to inclusion of the Bill of Rights.

From the Paper:

"The Federalists began seeking to reform the Articles in 1783. In 1786, the financial hardships that the states were facing became apparent when Daniel Shays led a rebellion against the courts. This scene was an example of how the people could take matters into their own hands and it instilled fear in the hearts of the "propertied class" (170). This fear leads to the Federalist belief that a stronger federal government was most certainly needed. (170) In all fairness, the Federalists were looking for a type of government that was not as oppressive as the type of rule they had in British, but a little stronger than the current weak American government."

More papers on The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists:

• Essay # 88984 : "Anti-Federalists and the Constitutional Debate"
• Term Paper # 147072 : "The Federalist and the Anti-Federalist Constitution Debate"
• Cause and Effect Essay # 115527 : "The Revolution and the Constitution"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: