Ratification The People Debate - 1728 Words

In a classic sense of history being written by winners, the United States Constitution and its ratification process is usually presented as a unifying document establishing a system of government that most efficiently ensures the states’ newly won independence. Those who opposed ratification of the Constitution were seen as against a strong federal governmental power and obstructive in their opposition. In her book, Ratification: The People debate the Constitution, 1787-1788, Pauline Maier examined the often-tempestuous state-level debates over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and found there was a legitimate concern for the new federal government to be as powerful as proposed in the Constitution and that many prominent, and not so prominent, men within the states’ legislatures, taverns, and coffee houses voiced vehement opposition to the Constitution’s ratification. As an historian and prolific writer, Maier dedicated her professional life to the stu dy and teaching of late colonial and revolutionary America. She initially wanted to be a journalist but realized her life’s passion after taking a â€Å"Colonial and Revolutionary America† seminar as a doctoral student at Harvard University. Maier went on to teach at the University of Massachusetts, the University of Wisconsin, and finally as the William Kenan Jr., Professor of History at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she taught for three decades. In the 1990’s, Maier was a charter member of â€Å"TheShow MoreRelatedThe Constitutional Convention And Ratification Debate1586 Words   |  7 Pagesdrafting and ratification of the Constitution a decade later. The 1787 constitutional convention and ratification debate was pivotal in the making of the US Constitution. The dynamics, antagonism, considerations, process and the eventual consensus regarding the Constitution can be explained by discrete theories in political discourses. However, there are theories that fit best within this historical context and help better explain the process of constitutional convention and ratification. This paperRead MoreThe Constitutional Convention And Ratification Debate1409 Words   |  6 Pagesdrafting and ratification of the Constitution a decade later. The 1787 constitutional convention and ratification debate was very important in the making of the US Constitution. The dynamics, antagonism, considerations, process and the eventual consensus regarding the Constitution can be explained by discrete theories in political discourses. However, there are theories that fit best within this historical context and help better explain the process of the constitutional convention and ratification. ThisRead MoreEssay about U.S. Constitution Ratification Debates789 Words   |  4 PagesU.S. Constitution Ratification Debates On September 28, 1787, after three days of bitter debate, the Confederation Congress sent the Constitution to the states with neither an endorsement nor a condemnation. This action, a compromise engineered by Federalist members, disposed of the argument that the convention had exceeded its mandate; in the tacit opinion of Congress, the Constitution was validly before the people. The state legislatures decisions to hold ratifying conventionsRead MoreThe Debate Over The Articles Of Confederation And The Constitution Of 17871461 Words   |  6 PagesThe debate over the effectiveness of the Articles of Confederation has been a long lasting one. In order to create a document that would adequately protect the American people and their interests’ the Founding Fathers embarked on a journey to create a document that would address all of the discrepancies found within the Articles of Confederation Therefore, the purpose of this paper is threefold. First, to compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of 1787. Second, toRead MoreThe Constitution Is The Perfect Balance Between Liberty And Power1505 Words   |  7 Pagescalled the anti-federalists. As federalists, Alexander Hamilton and others believed it was time for a new strong national government; they believed it was time for the ratification of the Constitution. Of course, the anti-federalists did not agree with them, which led to a debate between them and the federalists over the ratification of the Constitution. Before the Constitution, the thirteen colonies had what was called the Articles of Confederation, which was their version of today’s U.S.Read MoreAlexander Hamilton The Federalist Paper Summary1316 Words   |  6 Pageshave to approve its ratification. Individuals such as Alexander Hamilton would assume the responsibility of pleading the case for ratification to the states through letters that would be referred to as The Federalist Papers. Upon a closer inspection of Hamilton’s arguments, claims, and writing styles, one can develop a greater understanding of his underlying purpose for writing the first segment of The Federalist Papers. Hamilton opens his letter directed towards the people of New York by drawingRead MoreThe Rartifiation of the Us Constitution1046 Words   |  5 PagesQuestion: What were the major arguments used by each side (the supporters and the opponents) in the debates over the ratification of the U.S Constitution? In the year 1787, early America, officials and delegates came together to form a constitution that would restore the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was the attempt at creating a government for the newly independent America. But, it soon became clear that the document was not strong enough toRead MoreThe Debate Over Ratification Of The United States Constitution940 Words   |  4 PagesThe most politicized debate in American history has been the arguments made by the Federalists and the Antifederalists over the ideas and powers stated within the United States Constitution. A large number of authors who write about the debates between these two political groups present the ideas of the Federalist and Antifederalist as separate, opposing ideologies about how the U.S. Constitution should either stay the same for the sake of the country or be amended to grant border rights to the publicRead MoreThe Conflict Between Federalists and Anti-Federalists1138 Words   |  5 Pagesnation. After the constitution was signed the next step was ratification by a least nine states. Ratification by the states was by no means a fore gone conclusion in 1887. Any state not ratifying the constitution would be considered a separate country. The Federalists and Anti-Federalists had very different opinions on what kind of government should be formed. The Anti-Federalists were made up mostly of farmers and tradesman, common people working to support their families. The Federalists were madeRead MoreThe On The Workings Of The Constitution Convention Essay1319 Words   |  6 Pagescontrolling the power of government. Since the ratification of the Constitution, many political reformers and scientists had begun examining the theoretical perspective behind the working of the Constitutional Convention and the ratification debate. At the center of these examinations highlighted the debate on whether the foundation of the Constitution Convention was based on the idea of pluralism – a multitude of groups, represented by the will of people, governed the United States or power elitism