Lesson 8.3: Ratifying the Constitution

Lesson 8.3: Ratifying the Constitution

Today’s Essential Question: What difficulties had to be overcome during the

ratification of the Constitution?

Vocabulary• evaluate – to decide value or worth of

something• debate – a discussion or argument• ratify – to give support or approval for

someone else’s decision or action• ratification – the process of getting

official public approval of a new law or policy

Check for Understanding• What are we going to do today?• What is something you might evaluate?• Why is it often difficult to win a debate

with an adult?• Why is ratification important in passing

a new law?• What is a constitution?

What We Already Know

In 1787, many Americans still remembered how hard they had to fight

to protect their rights from a government that threatened their rights.


When the Articles of Confederation failed to provide a government strong enough to meet

the needs of the country, state delegates met to create a new constitution and a more effective

national government.


Although compromises were crafted on several issues to create a new

constitution, the various debates showed that the

delegates had strong differences of opinion

about how the government should

work.

Track with me as I read.

The men who attended the Constitutional

Convention and wrote the Constitution are

often referred to as ‘the framers of the Constitution.’

The framers suspected that the people might be afraid the Constitution would take

too much power away from the states.

James Madison, Father of the Constitution

Framers of the Constitution

explained that it was based on federalism,

meaning that the powers of

government are shared between the national government

and the state governments.

Those who supported the Constitution

became known as Federalists.

People who opposed the

Constitution were called

Antifederalists.

What is federalism?

Federalism is a system of government in which power is shared between the national

government and the state governments.

Read aloud with me:• Both Federalists and Antifederalists believed that

the government was too weak under the Articles of Confederation.

• But they disagreed over just how much power should be taken from the states and transferred to the national government.

Leading Federalists

Alexander Hamilton

John JayJames

Madison

Leading Antifederalists

George Mason Patrick Henry

Federalists and Antifederalists disagreed over how strong the national government should be.

from textbook page 235





Federalists and Antifederalists• Federalists wanted a strong central government. • They wanted the powers of government to be

divided between three branches.

• The Federalists also wanted the executive branch to be strong enough to enforce federal laws in all the states, especially the collection of taxes and tariffs.

A tariff is a tax on imported goods.

Federalists and Antifederalists

• Most Antifederalists were opposed to a strong executive branch, because they thought that a strong president might become a king.

• Some Antifederalists thought the Senate might become a powerful aristocracy.

An aristocracy is a government ruled by

wealthy nobles.

Federalists and Antifederalists• Antifederalists thought the Constitution took too

much power away from the states.• They supported states’ rights, which give the

states more power than the national government.• Antifederalists also were suspicious of the

Constitution because it contained no bill of rights.

Get your whiteboards and markers ready!

17. What was the Federalist positions on states’ rights and a strong

central government?A. Federalists felt the Articles had created a weak

government.B. Federalists believed that power should be

shared between the federal government and the states.

C. Federalists thought the Constitution took too much power away from the states.

D. Federalists were suspicious of the Constitution because it contained no bill of rights.

Choose all that are true!

17. What was the Antifederalist positions on states’ rights and a

strong central government?A. Antifederalists opposed the Constitution

because it did not create a strong executive branch.

B. Antifederalists strongly supported states' rights.

C. Antifederalists thought the Constitution took too much power away from the states.

D. Antifederalists believed a bill of rights should be added to the Constitution.

E. Antifederalists demanded a stronger federal government.

Choose all that are true!

The Federalists wrote essays to answer the Antifederalists’ attacks.

• These essays – known as The Federalist papers – were written by three well-known politicians: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.

• These essays were published in newspapers, so all the people could read them.

• In The Federalist papers, Federalists appealed to reason and emotion, explaining why people should support ratification.

Most of the newspapers supported the Constitution, which gave the Federalists an advantage during the battle for ratification.

• Even so, there was strong opposition to ratification in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Rhode Island, New York, and Virginia.

• If some of these states failed to ratify the Constitution, the United States might not survive.


18. What were The Federalist Papers?

A. the reasons for their opposition to the Constitution.

B. an interpretation of the Constitution so that the people would support it.

C. reasons why Congress should restore trade with Britain.

D. an explanation why the United States was supporting the revolution in France.

The Federalist Papers were a series of essays in support of the Constitution, written by John Jay, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton

to give . . .

19. How did the Federalists and the Antifederalists try to win support for

their sides in the debate over the Constitution?

A. They made personal attacks on the reputations of the men on the other side.

B. They published their views in newspapers, essays, and pamphlets.

C. They appealed to the fears and emotions of the American people.

D. They traveled through the states giving speeches.

20. What advantage did Federalists have over Antifederalists in the debate over ratification?

A. Most members of the Constitutional Convention were Federalists.

B. Most newspapers supported the Constitution, and gave the Federalists more publicity.

C. Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, was himself a Federalist.

D. All the political leaders in Virginia were supporters of the Constitution.

B tell A• What two groups fought over

ratification of the Constitution?• Be sure to re-state the question

in your response!

The Battle for Ratification• There was strong

opposition to ratification in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Rhode Island, New York, and Virginia.

• If some of these states failed to ratify the Constitution, the United States might not survive.

States began to vote on the new

Constitution.

• By June 1788, enough states had voted in favor, and the Constitution was ratified.

• Virginia, the largest state, had still not ratified it yet, however.

George Mason

Virginians Patrick Henry and George Mason

refused to support the Constitution until a bill

of rights was added.

James Madison convinced his fellow

Virginians to ratify the Constitution by

promising to see to it that a bill of rights

would be added later.Eventually, all thirteen states

ratified the Constitution.Patrick Henry


George Mason Patrick Henry

21. Why did George Mason and Patrick Henry oppose the ratification of the

Constitution?

A. It did nothing to protect slavery.B. It did not contain a bill of rights.C. It gave too much power to the states.D. They were angry about not being

invited to the Annapolis Convention.

A tell B• How did James Madison convince

his fellow Virginians to support ratification?

• Be sure to re-state the question in your response!

Madison helped win ratification.

• At Virginia’s convention, James Madison suggested that Virginia ratify the Constitution, and he promised to support the addition of a bill of rights.

• The news of Virginia’s vote convinced New York to join the Union, also calling for a bill of rights.

Madison helped win ratification.

• By 1790 North Carolina and Rhode Island ratified the Constitution.

• By then, the new Congress had already written a bill of rights and submitted it to the states for approval.

The Bill of Rights

• At the same time that seven of the states ratified the Constitution, they asked that it be amended to include a bill of rights.

• Supporters of a bill of rights hoped that it would set forth the rights of all Americans.

• They believed it was needed to protect people against the power of the national government.

The Bill of Rights

• Madison, who was elected to the new Congress in the winter of 1789, took up the cause.

• He proposed a set of changes to the Constitution, and he started with freedom of religion.

• In the very first amendment, Madison addressed the issue of religious freedom.


22. What is the Bill of Rights?

A. It is the first part of the Constitution.B. It protects the rights of states under

the federal government. C. It is a name for the first ten

amendments to the Constitution.D. It protects the exact same set of

freedoms as the English Bill of Rights.

23. What was the significance of the Bill of Rights?

A. It was the key to getting enough support to ensure ratification of the Constitution.

B. James Madison first gained national attention by writing them.

C. Opposition to it made friends of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

D. It was the first set of changes made to the Articles of Confederation.

Freedom of Religion

• Both Jefferson and Madison were strong supporters of freedom of religion.

• Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom had made religious freedom a right for all Virginians since 1786.

Freedom of Religion• The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom

assured that “no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place or ministry whatsoever,” and that “all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion.”

• Madison’s First Amendment says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

A tell B• What is one of your rights under the

Constitution’s Bill of Rights?• Be sure to re-state the question!

Patrick Henry was not in favor of separation of church and state.

• He was opposed to Jefferson's Statute for Religious Freedom, which Virginia had passed in 1786.

• While granting complete religious freedom to all Virginians, it also banned tax support for any religious group.

• Although strongly committed to religious freedom, Henry opposed Jefferson’s plan of total separation of church and state, and instead favored tax support of all recognized religious groups.

The Bill of Rights

• Eventually, Congress edited Madison’s list and proposed placing the amendments at the end of the Constitution in a separate section.

• The amendments went to the states for ratification.

B tell A• What leading Virginian was opposed to

the separation of church and state?• Be sure to re-state the question!


24. How is Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom reflected in the Bill of Rights?

It served as the basis forA. the Great Compromise. B. the First Amendment.C. the Federalist Papers.D. the Articles of

Confederation.

Federalists or Antifederalists?

Federalists Antifederalists

Feared a strong executive might become a tyrant




Wanted a bill of rights added to the Constitution





Wanted one person as head of the executive branch



Wanted one person as head of the executive

branch



Wanted the legislative branch to have most power




branch




Wanted the states to have less power




branch





Wanted a stronger national government




branch






Favored a government with three branches




branch







Wanted states to have the most political power




branch





Wanted states to have the most political power

Documents

Lesson 8.3: Ratifying the Constitution