1. Debating the Constitution Page 92
Chapter 3 Section 3
Debating the Constitution
Page 92

2. Federalists Versus Antifederalists
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Federalists Versus Antifederalists
For the Constitution to be ratified (approved) at least 9 states had to approve it

3. The Federalist Position
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The Federalist Position
Supporters of the new Constitution called themselves Federalists b/c they favored a strong federal (national) government
Alexander Hamilton and John Jay published the Federalist Papers, a series of 85 newspaper essays in support of the Constitution
They argued that the Union would only survive if it had more powers that was previously denied, such as power to enforce laws

4. The Antifederalist Position
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The Antifederalist Position
Opponents of the ratification were called Antifederalists
Men such as George Mason and Patrick Henry agreed that the Articles of Confederation were not strong enough, but they felt that the Constitutional Convention had gone too far

5. Antifederalists had different reasons for opposing the Constitution
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Antifederalists had different reasons for opposing the Constitution
Weakening the States: argued that the Constitution weakened the state gov’ts and that the central gov’t would be too strong and wipe out freedoms like the English had
No Bill of Rights: the Constitution offered no protection for basic freedoms; it had no bill of rights
President or King?: The president could be elected over and over and “easily become king”

6. The Ratification Debate
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The Ratification Debate
Debate heated up as states made their decision
Delaware, Pennsylvannia, New Jersey, Georgia, Conneticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina accepted it, only one more state was needed
In the end, the federalist view won and the Constitution was accepted
Philadelphia celebrated on July 4, 1788
Benjamin Rush, “Tis done. We have become a nation.”

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The Bill of Rights
George Washington was elected first President and John Adams as Vice President
During the Federalists and Antifederalist debates it became clear to many states that a bill of rights was needed
This became the first task of the new Congress
Luckily there was a way to make changes to the Constitution

8. Pg 95 In 1789, the first Congress passed a series of amendments
These 10 amendments became known as the Bill of Rights
Aims to protect people against abuses by the federal government
First Amendment: freedom of religion, speech, and press
Second Amendment: right to bear arms
Third Amendment: bars Congress from forcing citizens to keep troops in their homes
Fourth Amendment: protects citizens from unreasonable searches of their homes or seizures of their property
5-8: protect citizens who are accused of crimes and are brought to trial
9 & 10: limit the powers of the federal government to those that are granted in the Constitution