Anti-Federalists: Compare And Contrast The Beliefs Of Adams And Hamilton

Decent Essays
The anti-federalists feared that the central government would become too powerful and that if the government would commit an infraction on the states’ rights. The Federalists were in agreement with the constitution. The federalists were wealthy, well educated and were unified by the thought of higher power. The leaders of the Federalists included John Adams and Alexander Hamilton both yearned for an effective constitution. In contrast, the Anti-federalists were generally farmers and anybody that fell below the line of being wealthy. The leaders that opposed the ratification of the Constitution between 1787 and 1789 included Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry, they believed in giving the stronger and higher power to the individual states. The opinions

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    We rose, we protested, we fought, we won. But what now? That was the question worrying every American as Washington took office. They were afraid of living under a monarchy once again, and they weren't sure what the new government had to offer. They were afraid, suspicious, and setting high standards.…

    • 398 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    It didn't make sense for the National Government to have more power leaving the states weak. They also believed that the power among the three branches was not equally divided. The Anti-Federalist were more for the people, more of which were farmers and small landowners. More and more the Anti-Federalist believed that the Federalist were more interested in a aristocratic society which would be at the expense of the commoners of the colonies. Now the way the Federalist won over the ratification of the Constitution was that James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton wrote The Federalist Papers which helped convinced some people to ratify the Constitution.…

    • 364 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I Casey Nichols representative of North Carolina fully support the long overdue ratification of the Constitution. The Articles Of Confederation are impuissant and short-lived. An continued absence of a new document that conclusively clarifies our affairs will inevitably lead us to defeat. It was unquestionably imperative that we held the constitutional convention. The rationale is quite evident considering all the affairs we don't have elucidations for.…

    • 684 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Federalist No. 13 Dbq

    • 604 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Anti-Federalists argued that a stronger national government must be accompanied by explicit safeguards against tyranny. The Anti-Federalists supported states’ rights. 20. What were the Federalists Papers and why were they so critical to ratification of the Constitution?…

    • 604 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Federalists were those in favor of the Constitution and included John Hancock, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and John Adams. A large number of Federalists were elites, landowners, bankers, and bigtime businessmen. The Anti-Federalists were those in favor of the Articles of Confederation and included George Mason, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, and Samuel Adams. The Anti-Federalist party were mainly a group of middle-class farmers and small time businessmen. Even though both groups wanted some form of government, the right to vote, and wanted congress to make treaties and the right to declare war, there are many things they both disagreed on.…

    • 797 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Although the Federalist shard many of the same ideas of the Antifederalist such as individual rights (Oaks 223). The Anti-Federalists shared different view on how the government should be ran. Because of their experiences with the tyranny of Great Britain, they feared the establishment of a strong national government. The Anti-Federalists also did not accept the use of separation of powers and checks and balances, because they feared the branches of government would abuse the power and not serve the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of the individuals. It was evident in the way they thought things should be ran and why they thought they where right, being that they where from a old-line of republicans and did not favor a system…

    • 130 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Shay's Rebellion

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Anti-Federalists feared a powerful government would oppress the people. They argued that the new constitution was too much like the powerful British Monarchy. Anti-federalist thought the power should remain with the states and local governments.…

    • 809 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Some of America’s finest minds got together for the Philadelphia convention to figure out which form of government would be best. The Federalists were formed by Alexander Hamilton and its other well-known members were Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, George Washington, and James Madison. Federalists desired a secure central government and feeble state governments, preferred the Constitution to aid the amount owed and stress of the American Revolution, were against the Bill of Rights, and were supported in large urban areas. Meanwhile, the Anti-federalists were composed by Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Richard Lee, George Mason, and Mercy Warren. Anti-federalists insisted that power in the states not in the central government, picked the Articles…

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The federalist of the Constitution were the people who supported it. The anti-federalist were those who went against it. Federalist thought that the Constitution was based on federalism. The anti-federalist believed that the Constitution took too much power away from the states and did not insured rights for the people. The federalists even wrote essays to answer the anti-federalist attacks to the Constitution.…

    • 599 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    American Revolution Dbq

    • 1328 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Two groups that played a key role were Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Federalists believed in having a strong central government, whereas Anti-Federalists waned the majority of the power given to the people and were wary of the government having too much control. These groups are similar to Authoritarians and Libertarians of today’s society, respectively. In fact, these group’s differing beliefs sparked one of the disagreements surrounding the Constitution, “One of the many points of contention between Federalists and Anti-Federalists was the Constitution’s lack of a bill of rights that would place specific limits on government power. Federalists argued that the Constitution did not need a bill of rights, because the people and the states kept any powers not given to the federal government.…

    • 1328 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It was agreed upon in the Constitution that “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (Jefferson). By stating this it was absolute that those who were in a position of power are there because the people they over-see. Some of the men behind the support for the Constitution were Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Although the Federalist strongly supported this change there were many disagreements from the Anti-Federalist group. The main argument came from those who believed this new Constitution would strengthen government at the expense of its people and independent states.…

    • 1678 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    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…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Anti Federalists Essay

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Two of the major leaders of this group were Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, who was overseas during this time. The Anti-Federalists thought that under the Articles people had the rights that they rightfully deserved. Under the Articles, the poor people benefitted greatly. During the process of trying to get the new Constitution ratified the Anti-Federalists felt that under this new government the rich had all of the power instead of the people (Doc 5). Under the Articles the states had the power to make laws and do whatever they pleased, and to some of the states the idea of changing to a government that the central government had all the power was absolutely absurd.…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After America’s long journey of seeking freedom from governmental oppression, the newly formed nation was skeptical when it came to the discussion of new government authority. Many Americans were still uneasy about consolidated power, while others were aware of the prevalent national instability caused by the lack thereof. Though, in the end, the Constitution prevailed and has become the cornerstone of American government, the path that led to this enduring document was gradual and filled with apprehension and debate. Both sides of the issue had very clear and valid notions about either their support or opposition to the Constitution, and in the end were able to find common ground through patience and compromise.…

    • 1123 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Fifty Federalists, with the same general idea of creating a stronger central government, all got together to draw up an entirely new charter, the modern day Constitution. Many debates occurred within the forming of this document, mainly revolving around slaves and specifications regarding the executive powers. The two main opposing members regarding the executive powers was Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton wanted a single man to be elected for life for executive power. The main argument against this was if one man was in charge, the government would be far too similar to a monarchy.…

    • 1080 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays