7.4 Ratification and the Bill of Rights
- 1. Ch 7, Sec 4: Ratification and the Bill of Rights Main Idea – After heated debates, the 13 states voted one by one to approve the new Constitution.
- 2. Federalists Debate Antifederalists Federalists: Supporters of the Constitution Antifederalists: Against the Constitution
- 3. 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
- 4. Federalists Debate Antifederalists Federalists: Used the Federalists Papers to: Explain and defend the Constitution
- 5. 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.
- 6. Key Issue: Need for a Bill of Rights Main objection to the Constitution by the Antifederalists: No Bill of Rights
- 7. 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
- 8. Adding a Bill of Rights George Washington was elected President and John Adams was chosen as Vice-president New York was the nation’s first capitol There is a way to amend, or change, the Constitution
- 9. 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