PriscilaMorales

ProfessorZitko

POLISCI120

May10th,2017

Changebringsdebate.Someofthemostimportant,rich,educatedandaffluentmeninthe

colonies joined to revise the Articles of Confederation, little did they know it would lead to

giving rebirth to a nation, through a Constitution. The journey to this event was filled with

multiple disagreements and months of debates. A controversial argument of the era was known

as the Ratification Debates, between the FederalistandAntiFederalist.Bothsideshadgoodand

powerful arguments, and both had some points of weaknesses. Both parties wanted the best for

their country but their position on certain issues would oppose each other. The result of this

disputes would eventually decide thefuturepathofTheUnitedStatesofAmerica.Evidently,the

Federalists were the winners after fighting every argument of the opposing party andreachinga

compromise.(Biggs2016Zitko2017Bardes2017)

After the trial,theArticlesofConfederationhad,itwascleartothestatesthattherewasa

problem. The Articles of Confederation were failing in certain points that could be summarized

with the lack of a centralized unit. It is referred as a unit because there was an issue with the

courts, taxes, and currency. This led to a group of peoplewhodecidedtomeetanddiscussways

to improve the way the country was being managed. Unexpectedly this ended up being a

convention that eventually led to a new type of government being created. Along with this, the

Federalists were also born. This group could be seen as the Nationalists of the colonies, yet

instead, they landed on a different name: Federalists. The opposite party consequently was
labeled the AntiFederalists, which unconsciously gave them a disadvantage. (Biggs 2016

Berkin2016Bardes2017)

TodivideandconquercanbeconsideredasthephilosophytheAntiFederalistshadwhile

debating their point.Theywantedtohaveagovernmentinwhichthestatescouldbeindependent

on most of their issues but the centralized or national government to be involved in situations

where unity was equivalent to strength. The issues of more magnitude such as foreign relations

should be a task of the Federal government. Other issues that could be treated within the states

such as health and education should be independent of the states. These arguments were a

strength for their party because it gave the states more freedom and independence. After the

independence from Britain, most Americans wanted to be more different than the British, they

wantedtobefurtherfromamonarchy.(Bardes2017Pinheiro2010)

The AntiFederalists were aware of the lack of liberty and protection individuals may

have. The constitution was lacking a Bill of Rights, which was a vast necessity to the citizens.

The constitution was not able to protect its people, but instead, it would give more power to

those who wanted to abuse it andthatitwasnotappropriateforthemajorityofthecitizens.This

is their strongest argument and this was the argument that made the final decision. Other

arguments were based around on the fact that a centralized, too powerful government was

dangerous to the states and would eventually lead the nation to failure. While trying to prove

right every point above and fight its counterparty, the AntiFederalists were questioning The

Framers who gave them the authority to overrule and throw the Articles of Confederation.

(Pinheiro2017)
 The Federalists were a more organized group of people. They had constant secret

meetings and they were very prepared to back up their arguments. Alexander Hamilton, James

Madison and John Jay took the time to write 85 essays to the people of New York City to

convince them that the Constitution and a centralized unified government was the best way to

improve the country. The essays were written underthepseudonymPubliusasareferencetothe

Roman Empire.TocounterthefamousandinfluentialFederalistpapers,theAntiFederalistsalso

published their own essays but they were not as influential. They did not receive the outcome

they expected and that really weakened their party. The Federalist papers gave a significant

strength to their supporters since every argument was well backed up with an essay. They were

able to answer many questions about their position.Thesepapersreallygaveanexplanationand

an insight on the constitution and allowed people to see through the minds of the people

stratifying the American government. This is throughly demonstrated by some of the most

popular papers Federalist 51 and Federalist 10. Although it is incorrect to frame thesepapersas

an extension or translation of the Constitution. (Berkin 2016Pinheiro2010Ray2015,Morales

2016)

The needofprotectionandsafetyisstatedinthePreambleoftheConstitution,meaningit

was one of the most important issues to tackle when creating the Constitution itself. The

Federalists argued that Americaneededastandingunitedarmyinordertoprotectitselffromany

possible foreign attacks. But the safety of the people of America against dangers from foreign

force depends notonlyontheirforbearingtogivejustcausesofwartoothernations,butalsoon

their placing and continuing themselves in suchasituationasnottoinvitehostilityorinsultfor

it need not be observed that there are pretended as well as just causes of war. John Jay
Federalist 4, 1897. This demonstrated the fear ofvulnerabilitytheFederalistshad,whichwasan

opposite view from the AntiFederalists. The Articles of Confederation made the Federalists

believe there would be more conflict amongst thestateswhichwouldgreatlyweakenthenation.

(Jay1897Pinheiro2010)

"Order is the first need for any society, only then can liberty and justice be reasonably

secure." Russell Kirk. This was a conflict of priorities amongst the Federalist and

AntiFederalists. Federalists had the priority of order and AntiFederalists of liberty. As Robert

Yates expresses, they saw a standing army in timesofpeaceasunnecessaryandasaweaponthe

government could use which made them more powerful than needed and that could be feared.

(Yates1897Pinheiro2010,Biggs2016)

After monthsofapacificbattleamongstbothgroups,theConstitutionfinallywasratified

by the states it required. EvenafterPatrickHenrysefforttomaintaintheConfederation,itwasa

single compromise that allowed the constitution to exist. The Federalistsacceptedandpromised

to the AntiFederalists toincludeaBillofRightsintheConstitutiontoprotectthecitizens.Since

this was the biggest battle the AntiFederalists were fighting it was worth it for them togiveup

everyotherargumentiftheyweregivenaBillofRights.(Berkin2016)

The Constitutionwasbornbecauseofmanywrongreasonsbutyetitwasnecessaryandit

took a lot ofeffortfromtheFramerstogetitpassedbythestatesandfinallyratifyit.Ourhistory

with Britain and the Monarchy influenced the views of many citizens at the time, and both

groupshaddifferentprioritiesjustasdifferentfearsandconcernsforthenation.Nationaldefense

and the economy were also crucial issues that determined the position ofmanypeople.Afterall

it was a priority for theAntiFederaliststoreceivelibertiesandprotectionandfortheFederalists

it was the issue of order that needed to be addressed. In the long run, the compromise and

promiseallowedbothpartiestowin.

Bibliography

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Raphael, Ray. Constitutional Myths: What We Get WrongandHowtoGetItRight.New
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Federalist 51 Vlog. Dir. Priscila O. Morales. Perf. Priscila Morales. Youtube. New
TechnologyHighSchool,10May2017.Web.10May2017.

Biggs, Andrew. "American Government." Political Studies Fall. New Technology High
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2017.

Yates, Robert, Brutus. "AntiFederalist Paper Number 10." The AntiFederalist Papers.
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Jay,John,Publius.FederalistPaperNumber4TheFederalistPapers.1897.