the constitution goes to the states
TRANSCRIPT
Ch 8, Sec 12: The Constitution Goes to the States
Main Idea – After heated debates, the 13 states voted one by one to approve the new Constitution.
Federalists Debate Antifederalists
Federalists: Supporters of the Constitution
Antifederalists: Against the Constitution
Federalists Debate Antifederalists
Federalists: Believed the Articles of Confederation:
Left too much power to individual states Made a dangerously weak central gvn’t Made disputes between states too difficult for the
national gvn’t to function Believed the Constitution:
Gave the national gvn’t the authority it needed to function effectively
Protected rights and powers of individual states
Federalists Debate Antifederalists
Federalists: Used the Federalists Papers to:
Explain and defend the Constitution
Federalists Debate Antifederalists
Antifederalists: Believed the Constitution:
Made the national gvn’t too strong and states too weak
Gave the executive (President) too much power
Felt the Executive Branch should not be too powerful because: Other Presidents would lack the honor and
skill of Washington.
Key Issue: Need for a Bill of Rights
Main objection to the Constitution by the Antifederalists: No Bill of Rights
The States Vote to Ratify
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787.Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.Many states agreed to ratify the Constitution only if: A Bill of Rights was added
Adding a Bill of Rights
George Washington was elected President and John Adams was chosen as Vice-presidentNew York was the nation’s first capitolThere is a way to amend, or change, the Constitution
Adding a Bill of Rights
In 1789, James Madison wrote a list of 12 amendments, only 10 of them were ratified and are now known as the Bill of Rights