Unit #9

Ratification Process and Early Political Factions

  • State Approval Threshold:

    • The Constitution required approval (a "thumbs up") from 9 of the 13 existing states to go into official effect as the law of the land.

    • Once the 9th state ratified the document, a new federal government was officially established.

    • Approval of the Constitution was mandatory for any state to join the United States; the 4 remaining states after the 9th ratified were required to approve it prior to joining the nation.

  • Political Factions During Ratification:

    • Federalists:

    • Favored the Constitution and campaigned for its ratification into law.

    • Composed of the upper classes of society situated primarily along the coastline.

    • Coastal settlers had lived in the region the longest, established roots earlier, and had more time to build profitable businesses and farms relative to interior settlers.

    • Settlers moving further west into the interior were newer arrivals ("newbies") who generally lacked pre-existing wealth or established farming infrastructure.

    • Desired a strong central/national government to prevent anarchy.

    • Opposed anarchy because social turmoil could invert class structures, causing the wealthy to lose money and power while the poor rose in status.

    • Anti-Federalists:

    • Opposed the Constitution and its strong central authority.

    • Composed primarily of small farmers, frontier residents, and economically disadvantaged individuals.

    • Feared the Constitution would freeze the existing economic and social hierarchy, denying them the opportunity to improve their economic standing.

    • Feared an overly powerful national government would restrict their growth and potential; advocated for state governments to retain primary power.

    • Supported the Articles of Confederation (AOC), maintaining that a strong national government was unnecessary and that states should be the core focus of governance.

    • Demanded a Bill of Rights to provide written promises guaranteeing individual liberties and state powers against federal overreach.

  • Historical Expansion of Federal Power:

    • The Constitution formed in 1787 was originally a relatively weak document compared to its exponential growth in federal power over the subsequent 200-plus years.

    • Anti-Federalist fears regarding the national government expanding and swallowing individual and state rights ultimately materialized over time.

  • Prominent Leaders of the Factions:

    • Patrick Henry:

    • Leading Anti-Federalist famous for the phrase "give me liberty or give me death".

    • Opposed the Constitution, famously stating during debates: "I smell a rat."

    • Believed the new central government would become too strong and strip rights from individuals and states, preferring to retain the Articles of Confederation.

    • Alexander Hamilton:

    • Leading Federalist and proponent of the Constitution.

    • Argued that the national government under the Articles of Confederation was too weak, stagnating the national economy.

    • Contended that a stronger national government would bolster the economy, increase personal wealth, and transform the United States into an economic powerhouse.

The Federalist Papers and Constitutional Principles

  • Composition and Authorship of The Federalist Papers:

    • A series of promotional essays written collaboratively by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.

    • Published under the shared Latin pseudonym Publius (a name referencing publishing or writing).

    • Authors used a pseudonym because Hamilton was a controversial figure ("lightning rod of controversy"); using his real name would lead political opponents to reject the essays without reading them.

    • Served a role similar to Thomas Paine's Common Sense during the Independence era by persuading undecided citizens and Anti-Federalists to support constitutional ratification.

  • Division in Populous States:

    • Contrary to modern assumptions that early Americans universally supported the Constitution, major states were deeply divided.

    • Virginia and New York—the two most populous states—were evenly divided or slightly leaning Anti-Federalist when ratification began.

    • State legislators resisted voting for the document without clear public support from their constituents.

    • Populous states feared losing power or submitting to an excessively dominant national government.

  • Republicanism versus Pure Democracy:

    • The Federalist Papers clarified that the proposed government was structured as a Republic, not a Pure Democracy (or Direct Democracy).

    • Pure/Direct Democracy: A system where all citizens vote directly on every governance decision (e.g., spending $200,000,000 on defense plans for new fighter jets and soldier pay, raising taxes, establishing national holidays, or setting nuclear energy regulations). This model is unfeasible for a nation of large physical size and population.

    • Republic: A representative system where citizens elect representatives (such as members of Congress) to make daily legislative decisions on behalf of the public.

Establishment of the New Federal Government

  • Timeline of State Ratifications:

    • Delaware: The first state to