1. New Plan of Government

2. Constitutional Debate
Before the Constitution could go into affect, its acceptance depended upon the will of the people.
9 of the 13 states needed to ratify it.
Ratify- Approve with a state vote.

3. Constitutional Debate
Before ratification took place a great debate across the country in newspapers, town hall meetings, ordinary conversations.
Arguments occurred for and against the Constitution.

4. Constitutional Debate
Federalists
Federalists- were supporters of the new Constitution.
They had support from George Washington and Benjamin franklin.
Also backed by James Madison, John Jay, & Alexander Hamilton.

5. Constitutional Debate
Federalists
Madison, Hamilton & Jay teamed up to write a series of essays defending the Constitution. Appearing in newspaper across the country.
These essays were called the Federalist Papers.

6. Constitutional Debate
Federalists
The Federalist Papers would eventually be put into a book and sent to delegates at the remaining ratification conventions.
Jefferson said, “the best commentary on the principals of government which was ever written.”

7. Constitutional Debate
Antifederalists
Antifederalists-Those who opposed the Constitution.
They were not as well organized as the Federalists, but had dedicated supporters.
They responded with a series of essays also called the Antifederalist Papers.

8. Constitutional Debate
Antifederalists
The argument of the Antifederalists basically was that the Constitution would take away liberties the Americans had fought for against Great Britain.
The Constitution would create a strong federal gov. but ignore the will of the states and the people while favoring the wealthy.

9. Constitutional Debate
Antifederalists
The Antifederalists preferred local gov. close to the people.
The Antifederalists agreed with Patrick Henry that the Constitution was “incompatible with Republicanism”, or small gov.

10. Constitutional Debate
Protecting Rights
The strongest criticism of the Constitution was its ability to protect individual freedoms.
Antifederalists argued no gov. could be trusted to protect freedoms of individual citizens.

11. Constitutional Debate
Protecting Rights
Several state Conventions announced they would not be supporting ratification of the Constitution without a Bill of Rights.

12. Constitutional Debate
Protecting Rights
Mercy Otis Warren, an opponent to the Constitution and Antifederalist, but a supporter of a strong central gov. said, “We have struggled for liberty and made costly sacrifices, …

13. Constitutional Debate
Protecting Rights
Mercy Otis Warren- there are still many among us who value liberty too much to relinquish the rights of man for the dignity of gov.”

14. Constitutional Debate
Protecting Rights
Federalists feared disorder w/o a strong central gov.
They forsaw more Shay’s rebellion’s
The wanted a National Gov. that would maintain order.

15. Constitutional Debate
Protecting Rights
Antifederalists feared oppression more than disorder and worried about the concentration of power.

16. Constitutional Debate
Adopting the Constitution
7 Dec DE became the 1st state to ratify the Constitution.
On 21 Jun the 9th state, NH ratified the Constitution.
Since NH was the 9th State to ratify in theory the new gov. could go into effect.

17. Constitutional Debate
Adopting the Constitution
That said, w/o the ratification of the large states NY & VA, the future of the new gov was in doubt.
Both states had strong Antifederalist views and had yet to ratify it.

18. Constitutional Debate
Adopting the Constitution
Patrick Henry, an antifederalist, said that the Constitution did not sufficiently limit the power of the central gov.
Even with Henry’s opposition, VA ratified it in 1788 after the assurance there would be a Bill of rights amendment.

19. Constitutional Debate
Adopting the Constitution
Amendment- something added to an existing document.
In July 1788 NY ratified the Constitution,In Nov 1789 NC ratified, In May 1790 RI ratified, The Bill of Rights would be added in Now it was time to elect leaders.