1. C HAPTER 2 S ECTION 5 Ratifying the Constitution

2. B ASIC I NFORMATION 9 states needed to ratify ( approve) the Constitution Supporters and opponents of the new Constitution prepared to debate in each state Many were not sure how states were going to react because the Convention that created the Constitution was only supposed to amend the Constitution.

3. F EDERALISTS Supporters of the new Constitution James Madison Thomas Jefferson Wanted a strong federal government Articles of Confederation proved this! Argued that the federal government could not become too strong because: Separation of power – powers divided Checks and balances – each branch would monitor the others Bill of Rights was not necessary because federal government did not have the power to take away basic freedoms Not a listed power

4. A NTI - FEDERALISTS Opponents of the new Constitution Patrick Henry George Clinton Upset that it didn’t include a Bill of Rights If they weren’t included they could be take away Feared the Federal government would become too powerful A strong executive would be too similar to a king/queen States would loose the ability to govern themselves because the Fed gov’t has the final say

5. P ROCESS OF R ATIFICATION The fight for ratification was close in many states but the Federalist finally won all of them Delaware ( 12/7/87) was the first state to ratify and Rhode Island (5/29/90) was the last Although New Hampshire was the 9 th state to ratify the Constitution it could not really go into effect until Virginia and New York ratified it as well Without these 2 large states the union would not be able to survive

6. V IRGINIA AND N EW Y ORK The conventions for ratification in both states featured heated debates between federalists and anti-federalist To push for ratification in these key states Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison published The Federalist Papers Collection of 85 essays published in newspapers and assembled into a book

7. W HY DID F EDERALIST WIN OUT ? Everyone knew there were flaws with the Articles Federalists were united behind an actual plan (the Constitution) Anti-federalists has no common plan as an alternative The federalists were well-organized and widely published The federalists had the well respected George Washington on their side

8. F INALLY R ATIFIED ! By September 1788 the new government was set up with George Washington as president The capital was temporarily moved to New York City Moved to Philly in 1790 and Washington D.C. in 1800

9. A RTICLES What are the main arguments of the Anti-federalists? Why does Hamilton believe that the Constitution does not need a Bill of Rights?