Federalists
- want strong national government
- supported by merchants, artisans, large farmers
- believed large republic could best protect individual liberty
Antifederalists
- feared a strong national government
- supported by small farmers
- believed only a small republic could protect individual liberty
How do you convince enough people to support the Constitution in order for it to be ratified?
The Federalist Papers
A series of essays penned and published widely in order to explain the virtue of the Constitution
Publius
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| Alexander Hamilton |
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| James Madison |
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| John Jay |
Federalist Paper No.10
Federalist Paper No.51
Madison's promise: A Bill of Rights
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| Note the 1st two listed and not ratified |
Madison also built in a way to change/modify the constitution should the need arise. The process of amending the Constitution is diagrammed in figure 2-3 on p58 of your book. Or you can reference the chart below.
So, now you understand the Constitution and its ratification... or do you??
Charles Beard's thesis: An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States of America
Basic conclusions offered are as follows:
I) The US constitution was enacted to protect the interests of: a) the moneyed classes (the rich), b) the bond and stock holding classes (the rich speculators), c) the manufacturing interests (rich capitalists), and trade and shipping interests (the rich capitalist speculators).
II) The constitution was the result of an elite group of men representing the aforementioned interests.
III) The constitutional convention held in Philadelphia was organized undemocratically by the aforementioned elite group of men to secure the aforementioned interests.
IV) Those not holding the aforementioned interests (the poor) were excluded from participation in the constitutional process.
V) Those participating in the Philadelphia convention personally benefited from the outcome of that convention (the constitution).
VI) The US constitution is a document protecting private property rights over that of a democratic people and/or its government.
VII) These assertions are on record as evidenced by the property and monetary interests of those who proposed and passed the US constitution.
VIII) In the ratification of the US constitution, 3/4 of the qualified voters were excluded by some means or another, aiding the 1/4 who benefited from the passage of the constitution.
IX) The ratification of the US constitution was further narrowed down to where only 1/6 of the qualified voters participated in its passing.
X) Therefore, the majority of qualified voters did not participate in the ratification of the US constitution.
XI) This 1/6 who ratified the constitution were the same minority who held large holdings in money, bonds and stocks, manufacturing, and trade and shipping.
XII) The main societal divisions in the ratification of the US constitution were among classes cited in i) and the farming and debtor classes at that time.
XIII) The constitution was therefore not created by "the people," but by the those motivated by the monetary interests cited in
So.... America.... majoritarian theory, pluralist theory, elitist theory?
