Only after two leading Anti-Federalists, John Adams and John Hancock, negotiated a far-reaching compromise did the convention vote for ratification on February 6, 1788 . Under the Massachusetts Compromise, the delegates recommended that the new Congress consider the amendments should the Constitution enter into force.
Why did the anti Federalist eventually agree to ratify the Constitution?
The Federalists wanted to ratify the Constitution, the Anti-Federalists did not. ... The Anti- Federalists claimed the Constitution gave the central government too much power , and without a Bill of Rights the people would be at risk of oppression.
Why did anti-federalists agree to ratify the Constitution?
Anti-Federalists feared the Constitution would lead to an over-centralized government and diminish individual rights and liberties. ... The anti-Federalists agreed to support ratification, with the understanding that they would put forth recommendations for amendments should the document go into effect .
What compromise did the Federalists and Anti-Federalists agree on?
The main compromise, though, was to create the Bill of Rights . The Antifederalists worried that a strong national government would abuse their rights in the same way that the British government had. To allay their fears, the Federalists agreed to create the Bill of Rights.
Why didn't the federalists want a bill of rights?
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 . Anti-Federalists held that a bill of rights was necessary to safeguard individual liberty.
Why did only 9 states ratify the Constitution?
They decided to drop the matter. Instead, on September 28, Congress directed the state legislatures to call ratification conventions in each state. Article VII stipulated that nine states had to ratify the Constitution for it to go into effect .
What if the Constitution was never ratified?
If it did not ratify the Constitution, it would be the last large state that had not joined the union . Thus, on July 26, 1788, the majority of delegates to New York's ratification convention voted to accept the Constitution. A year later, North Carolina became the twelfth state to approve.
How was the conflict between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists resolved?
The Massachusetts Compromise was a solution reached in a controversy between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over the ratification of the United States Constitution. They sought to amend the Constitution, particularly with a Bill of Rights as a condition before ratification. ...
What were the Federalists arguments for ratification?
The Federalists wanted a strong government and strong executive branch , while the anti-Federalists wanted a weaker central government. The Federalists did not want a bill of rights —they thought the new constitution was sufficient. The anti-federalists demanded a bill of rights.
What did federalists believe?
Federalists wanted a strong central government . They believed that a strong central government was necessary if the states were going to band together to form a nation. A strong central government could represent the nation to other countries.
What did Democratic Republicans and Federalists agree on?
The Federalists believed that American foreign policy should favor British interests , while the Democratic-Republicans wanted to strengthen ties with the French. The Democratic-Republicans supported the government that had taken over France after the revolution of 1789.
Why did the Federalists win?
In 1787, toward the end of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Mason proposed that a bill of rights preface the Constitution, but his proposal was defeated. Why did the Federalists win? Federalists seized the initiative and were better organized and politically shrewder than Anti-federalists .
Why did Hamilton not want a Bill of Rights?
Hamilton didn't support the addition of a Bill of Rights because he believed that the Constitution wasn't written to limit the people . It listed the powers of the government and left all that remained to the states and the people.
How did the Federalists try to build support for the Constitution?
To ensure adoption of the Constitution, the Federalists, such as James Madison, promised to add amendments specifically protecting individual liberties . These amendments, including the First Amendment, became the Bill of Rights. James Madison later became a Democratic-Republican and opposed many Federalist policies.
Why did James Madison change his mind about adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution?
Why did James Madison change his mind about adding a bill of rights to the Constitution? Madison changed his mind because he corresponded with colleagues whose opinions he valued, and they all supported the addition of a bill of rights .
Did any states not ratify the Constitution?
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790 , when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
