Ratification of the Convention Federalists vs Anti Federalists

1787 Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was held in Philadelphia. It was convened for a very specific purpose, which was to revise the Articles of Confederation. These Articles were the nation’s first constitution, which some—like Hamilton and Madison—found to be inadequate in establishing a strong central government. The Articles of Confederation had been more for states than for a federal government. Thus, as far as the national government went, its power was weak and the states were basically like independent countries. The Convention was called by the Congress of the Confederation to address the issues, like the Shays Rebellion, that were troubling the country. All thirteen states were invited to send delegates. However, Rhode Island chose not to participate, as it was opposed to any changes that would strengthen the central government. In total, 55 delegates attended. Notable attendees included George Washington, who was elected as the president of the Convention, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton. Other prominent figures of the time, such as Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, were absent as they were serving as U.S. ambassadors in Europe (Beeman, 2023).

The Convention debated various issues. One of the major points of contention was the representation of states in the new government. The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on population, which would favor larger states. In contrast, the New Jersey Plan called for equal representation for each state. This issue was resolved through the Connecticut Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate (Beeman, 2023).

Another significant issue was the question of slavery. Southern states wanted slaves to be counted for representation purposes but not for taxation, while Northern states held the opposite view. This led to the Three-Fifths Compromise, where three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for both representation and taxation.

The Convention concluded with the drafting and signing of the United States Constitution, which established a strong federal government with separated powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The Constitution also included a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

The outcome of the Convention was met with mixed reactions. Federalists supported a strong central government, and so they were pleased with the new Constitution. However, Anti-Federalists were not happy, as they were concerned about the potential for tyranny and the lack of specific protections for individual and states’ rights. Their dissatisfaction helped lead to the addition of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which were ratified in 1791.

Other issues existed, such as the balance of power between the federal and state government and the powers of the executive branch—and all of these were debated. The Federalist Papers written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay helped garner support for the ratification of the Constitution.