Federalist Papers & Anti-Federalist

essays published in New York newspapers over course of 2 years (1787-1788); 85 total essays

James Madison (29), John Jay (6) and Alexander Hamilton (51)

85; Hamilton wrote 51, Madison wrote 29 and Jay wrote 6

The authors used the pseudonym Publius; were released anonymously

the ratification of Constitution

a national government would have too much power

James Madison argued in favor of ratification of the Constitution argued factions are a natural, yet concerning, product of freedom and asserted there are two ways to control factions: remove the cause or limit the effect factions could be controlled better by a large republic where there are many competing factions also argued that elected representatives from larger groups of constituents would be more competent rather than a pure democracy

James Madison 1. A large nation mitigates the effects of a faction by multiplying the number of interests 2. If republic isn't enough to prevent the formation of a faction in Congress \"auxiliary precautions\" What are the auxiliary precautions??? 1. Separation of powers, 2. legislative checks and balances, 3. executive veto paper, & 4. judicial review

Anti-Federalists

9 of the 13

The proposed Constitution will eventually become a consolidated government because: 1. it lacks safeguards 2. the small number of representatives was a fatal error 3. the remote and extreme states would be at a disadvantage

Anything short of despotism could bind so great a country under one government because: 1. Representatives would not competent to attend to the various local wants 2. If have appropriate # of representatives, there would be too little time, so it can't work in a nation so large =Therefore, Constitution doesn't make sense- too much power at national level

You CANNOT have a free republic of such an immense extent 1. because history says so 2. Representatives cannot act interests of constituents because it's not possible due to sheer number ( 2/States & 1/30,000) & Requires trust which is established through knowing and interacting with constituents... you cannot get to know 30,000 Diversity will led to constant fighting People will always be clashing, so legislative process will be delayed

Alexander Hamilton agrees that in the past, all republics had failed to secure the rights of their citizens and had perished in the grip of either tyranny or anarchy... BUT Hamilton writes that the framers of the Constitution have discovered or improved upon the \"science of politics,\" and this will make possible an American republic that is both durable and safe for the rights of the people. Among these improvements are: 1. the election by the people of representatives to make all laws 2. separation of powers 3. legislative checks and balances 4. judges who hold tenure during good behavior 5. the \"enlargement of the orbit\" or the size of the territory that is to exist under the national government.