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New Plan of Government

New Plan of Government. Constitutional Debate. Before the Constitution could go into affect, its acceptance depended upon the will of the people. 9 of the 13 states needed to ratify it. Ratify- Approve with a state vote. Constitutional Debate.

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New Plan of Government

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  1. New Plan of Government

  2. Constitutional Debate • Before the Constitution could go into affect, its acceptance depended upon the will of the people. • 9 of the 13 states needed to ratify it. • Ratify- Approve with a state vote.

  3. Constitutional Debate • Before ratification took place a great debate across the country in newspapers, town hall meetings, ordinary conversations. • Arguments occurred for and against the Constitution.

  4. Constitutional Debate Federalists • Federalists- were supporters of the new Constitution. • They had support from George Washington and Benjamin franklin. • Also backed by James Madison, John Jay, & Alexander Hamilton.

  5. Constitutional Debate Federalists • Madison, Hamilton & Jay teamed up to write a series of essays defending the Constitution. Appearing in newspaper across the country. • These essays were called the Federalist Papers.

  6. Constitutional Debate Federalists • The Federalist Papers would eventually be put into a book and sent to delegates at the remaining ratification conventions. • Jefferson said, “the best commentary on the principals of government which was ever written.”

  7. Constitutional Debate Antifederalists • Antifederalists-Those who opposed the Constitution. • They were not as well organized as the Federalists, but had dedicated supporters. • They responded with a series of essays also called the Antifederalist Papers.

  8. Constitutional Debate Antifederalists • The argument of the Antifederalists basically was that the Constitution would take away liberties the Americans had fought for against Great Britain. • The Constitution would create a strong federal gov. but ignore the will of the states and the people while favoring the wealthy.

  9. Constitutional Debate Antifederalists • The Antifederalists preferred local gov. close to the people. • The Antifederalists agreed with Patrick Henry that the Constitution was “incompatible with Republicanism”, or small gov.

  10. Constitutional Debate Protecting Rights • The strongest criticism of the Constitution was its ability to protect individual freedoms. • Antifederalists argued no gov. could be trusted to protect freedoms of individual citizens.

  11. Constitutional Debate Protecting Rights • Several state Conventions announced they would not be supporting ratification of the Constitution without a Bill of Rights.

  12. Constitutional Debate Protecting Rights • Mercy Otis Warren, an opponent to the Constitution and Antifederalist, but a supporter of a strong central gov. said, “We have struggled for liberty and made costly sacrifices, …

  13. Constitutional Debate Protecting Rights • Mercy Otis Warren- there are still many among us who value liberty too much to relinquish the rights of man for the dignity of gov.”

  14. Constitutional Debate Protecting Rights • Federalists feared disorder w/o a strong central gov. • They forsaw more Shay’s rebellion’s • The wanted a National Gov. that would maintain order.

  15. Constitutional Debate Protecting Rights • Antifederalists feared oppression more than disorder and worried about the concentration of power.

  16. Constitutional Debate Adopting the Constitution • 7 Dec. 1787 DE became the 1st state to ratify the Constitution. • On 21 Jun. 1788 the 9th state, NH ratified the Constitution. • Since NH was the 9th State to ratify in theory the new gov. could go into effect.

  17. Constitutional Debate Adopting the Constitution • That said, w/o the ratification of the large states NY & VA, the future of the new gov was in doubt. • Both states had strong Antifederalist views and had yet to ratify it.

  18. Constitutional Debate Adopting the Constitution • Patrick Henry, an antifederalist, said that the Constitution did not sufficiently limit the power of the central gov. • Even with Henry’s opposition, VA ratified it in 1788 after the assurance there would be a Bill of rights amendment.

  19. Constitutional Debate Adopting the Constitution • Amendment- something added to an existing document. • In July 1788 NY ratified the Constitution,In Nov 1789 NC ratified, In May 1790 RI ratified, The Bill of Rights would be added in 1791. Now it was time to elect leaders.

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