1. Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
During the period of debate over the ratification of the Constitution, numerous independent local speeches and articles were published in newspapers all across the country.
The articles in favor of the Constitution were written under the pseudonym “Publius.” The authors were Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. They were not only drafted as propaganda for ratification but also to influence the interpretation of the Constitution, which as a compromise document, had many provisions which could be interpreted in different ways. The essays were collected by publishers right from the beginning and published together in various forms. As such, they became an important tool for judges and other political actors in interpreting the Constitution.
Initially, many of the articles in opposition to the Constitution were written under pseudonyms, such as “Cato,” “Brutus,” “Centinel,” and “Federal Farmer”—actually George Clinton, Robert Yates, Samuel Bryan, Melancton Smith, and Richard Henry Lee among others. Eventually, famous revolutionary figures such as Patrick Henry came out publicly against the Constitution. Unlike the authors of the Federalist Papers who worked together, the Anti-Federalist papers were not a coordinated effort. Scholars later published the best and most influential of these articles and speeches into a collection which came to be known as the Anti-Federalist Papers.
Bill of Rights Institute
August 06, 2007
Artemus Ward
Department of Political Science
Northern Illinois University
& Modified by Mrs. Christy, WYHS

2. Who Were the Federalists?
Alexander Hamilton
James Madison
John Jay
Wrote the Federalist Papers
Alexander Hamilton ( ) was the primary intellectual force for nationalism throughout the founding period, was Washington’s most trusted advisor, and the principle architect of the nation’s economic policy as Secretary of the Treasury.
James Madison (I) ( ) was aligned with Hamilton and the Federalists early on and was the principle architect of the Constitution. As a member of the House of Representatives, he drafted the Bill of Rights and introduced it in the first Congress.
Both Hamilton and Madison wrote most of the Federalist papers. John Jay only wrote a few as he was ill and unable to participate more fully

3. Who Were the Anti-Federalists?
George Mason
Patrick Henry
Thomas Jefferson
George Mason ( ) wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights, detailing specific rights of citizens, which became the model for the Declaration of Independence and the first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Patrick Henry ( ) was a prominent figure in the Revolution, known for his "Give me liberty or give me death" speech, Governor of Virginian and a radical rights advocate.

4. Anti-Federalist Opposed to stronger national government
Opposed to standing military
Opposed to central government power to tax
Opposed to a Supreme Court
Wanted a Bill of Rights
Constitution had no mention of God

5. The Two-Party System Federalism Federalist
Favored a broad interpretation of the Constitution & strong nat’l gov’t
Anti-Federalist (Democratic-Republican Party)
Strict interpretation of the Constitution & state’s rights
Following the passage of the Constitution and what became known as the Bill of Rights, the divisions between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists coalesced around the issue of federalism—specifically the aggressive fiscal policies of Federalist Alexander Hamilton.
Federalists favored broad construction of the Constitution and strong national powers. George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and John Marshall were proponents of this general philosophy.
Anti-Federalists favored strict-construction of the Constitution and advocated popular (State’s) rights against what they saw as aristocratic, centralizing tendencies of their opponents. Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party formed around these beliefs and included James Madison (II), James Monroe who both succeeded Jefferson as President during “The Virginia Dynasty” ( ).
In one form or another, these two competing philosophies have dominated American politics throughout its 200-year history from the Civil War to regulating the economy during the New Deal to current debates over abortion.

6. Further Reading
The Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers have been collected in numerous forms including cheap paperback versions and now on-line for free.
Some Secondary Sources:
Amar, Akhil Reed America's Constitution: A Biography. New York: Random House.
Chernow, Ron Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Books.
Storing, Herbert J What the Anti-Federalists Were For: The Political Thought of the Opponents of the Constitution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.