The debate over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution took place by and large between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Prominent Federalist figures included Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Patrick Henry, and Samuel Adams while the prominent Anti-Federalist figures included Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, John Jay, and John Adams. The Federalist supporters consisted of large farmers, merchants and artisans while the Anti-Federalist supporters consisted of small farmers, mainly from rural areas. There were many issues that divided the two positions.
One issue involved the Anti-Federalist farmers’ position against the establishment “of a new national currency” for fear that it would “lower prices for their commodities or enable the very wealthy to buy up their land” (26). The Anti-Federalists felt that states were free agents that should manage their own revenue and spend their money as they saw fit, while the Federalists felt that many individual and different fiscal and monetary policies led to economic …show more content…
The Anti-Federalist felt greatly upset by the Federalist ratification of the Constitution, which had shifted state power into federal hands, while the Federalists wished to keep a Bill of Rights out of the Constitution, because they believed that they could not list each right, and that the rights unstated would be broken and abused.
The Federalists eventually won the ratification of the Constitution in large part because they set up the ratification process in a way that would be favorable to them. They had new conventions which were held in states that were favorable to their position first, and they required only 9 of the 13 states to ratify, although the Articles of Confederation had clearly stated that all 13 states would be required in order to agree to any amendments to the
One issue involved the Anti-Federalist farmers’ position against the establishment “of a new national currency” for fear that it would “lower prices for their commodities or enable the very wealthy to buy up their land” (26). The Anti-Federalists felt that states were free agents that should manage their own revenue and spend their money as they saw fit, while the Federalists felt that many individual and different fiscal and monetary policies led to economic …show more content…
The Anti-Federalist felt greatly upset by the Federalist ratification of the Constitution, which had shifted state power into federal hands, while the Federalists wished to keep a Bill of Rights out of the Constitution, because they believed that they could not list each right, and that the rights unstated would be broken and abused.
The Federalists eventually won the ratification of the Constitution in large part because they set up the ratification process in a way that would be favorable to them. They had new conventions which were held in states that were favorable to their position first, and they required only 9 of the 13 states to ratify, although the Articles of Confederation had clearly stated that all 13 states would be required in order to agree to any amendments to the