Abstract
Contrasts the views and actions of the two political groups. Their ideas of what the powers of the federal government should be. Federalist believers James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. Madison's concept of a system of checks and balances. Anti-Federalist mistrust of republican form of government & a powerful central government.

From the Paper
"FEDERALISTS AND ANTIFEDERALISTS
In the early days of this nation, two sides attempted to put their ideas into action. Federalism is, more or less, a sharing of powers- with certain powers delegated to a central government, and those not so delegated, belong to the states that make up the federation.

Given that there are various types of Federalism, they should be defined. At the time the country was constitutionally organized, many people believed in Dual Federalism. ?Dual Federalism originated in what may be called "the Rural Republic" immediately after the Constitution was adopted. This form "enumerated powers, sovereign and equal spheres" (Walker, 1995, p. 1). It was the beginning of a new government. At this early time, the federal government was limited. America had a basically rural ..."

Abstract
This paper discusses the development of the movements of the federalists and anti-federalists in the United States. It discusses the requirement for ratification of the U.S. Constitution of September 1787 that was created in Philadelphia and how this affected the debates within the government. The paper also looks briefly at the scope of today's federal national government.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Philadelphia Convention Of 1787
New Framework Of Government
Revival Of The Antifederalists Framework Of Government
Summary & Conclusion

From the Paper
"Those who hold that the government of today is too large and its powers overbroad still lean to the writings and arguments of the Antifederalists and this debate still goes forth in today's politics both at the federal and state levels. The scope of today's federal national government has grown to a broader scope than even imagined by the Antifederalists and even today, the Antifederalist sentiment can be heard throughout the political arena in the United States."

Tags:constitution, ratification, power

Abstract
This paper recounts the drafting, implementation, amendment, and eventual rejection of the Articles of Confederation. The paper states that its main failure was that it was aimed primarily to prevent usurpation of power by the government, rather than provide for effective governance. A more effective Constitution was drafted as a result, which reduced state sovereignty and allotted greater power to the central government. In summary, the paper contends that the Articles of Confederation reflected the fear of governmental usurpation of power and created a government so powerless it could not function, while the Constitution gave the new government the power it needed to function.

From the Paper
"In Federalist # 51, James Madison argued that the government was structured to preserve liberty. No one branch could hold sway over the others, and judge, appointed by the other branches, would be selected for quality, not popularity. (Federalist # 51) By creating the checks and balances, the government could control public excesses, but could not itself usurp power. The legislature, the most dangerous branch, was the most checked. Meanwhile, the size of the nation would prevent mob rule, because factions would check one another. (Federalist # 51)"

Tags:law, legislation, checks, and, balances, constitutional, convention, chamber, federal, government, congress, legislature, faction, antifederalist, federalist