Federalists vs. Antifederalists
Federalists – supporters of the Constitution
• Federalists such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wanted a strong national government.
Antifederalists – opposed the Constitution because:
• they believed that it made the national government too strong, and the state governments too weak.
• they thought that the President had too much power.
Formation of the Bill of Rights
• Thomas Jefferson was in France during the Constitutional Convention.
• Jefferson felt that the Constitution should have a Bill of Rights.
• Federalists, such as Alexander Hamilton, were against the Bill of Rights, claiming it was unnecessary since all state constitutions already had a bill of rights.
• Amendments to the Constitution are ratified if the legislatures from ¾’s of the states approve the amendment.
• James Madison wrote the first ten amendments in 1791, which are known as the Bill of Rights.
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