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The video explores the lively debate between the Federalists and anti-Federalists during the creation of the U.S. Constitution. It highlights the anti-Federalists' concerns about a strong central government, fearing it could lead to tyranny. The discussion dives into different types of democracy and the challenges of governing a large republic.
- Unit Objective
- Lesson 1
- Lesson 2
- Lesson 3
This unit is part of Gilder Lehrman’s series of Common Core State Standards–based teaching resources. These units were developed to enable students to understand, summarize, and analyze original texts of historical significance. Through a step-by-step process, students will acquire the skills to analyze any primary or secondary source material.
Objective
Today students will participate as members of a critical thinking group and "read like a detective" in order to analyze the arguments made by the Federalists in favor of ratifying the new US Constitution.
Introduction
Tell the students that after the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia, the nation’s new Constitution had to be ratified by the states. The debate over ratification became very heated, especially in New York. This led to a spirited exchange of short essays between the Federalists, who promoted the new Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who put forward a variety of objections to the proposed new government. Today we will be closely reading excerpts from four of the Federalist...
Materials
1. Federalist Papers #1, #10, #51, and #84 (excerpts). Source: The full text of all the Federalist Papersare available online at the Library of Congress. 2. US Constitution, 1787. Source: Charters of Freedom, National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters 3. Overhead projector or other display
Objective
Today students will participate as members of a critical thinking group and "read like a detective" in order to analyze the arguments made by the Anti-Federalists in opposition to ratifying the new US Constitution.
Introduction
Review the background information from the last lesson. Today we will be closely reading excerpts from four of the Anti-Federalist Papers in order to discover just what the Anti-Federalists’ positions and arguments were. Although the Anti-Federalists’ essays were written anonymously under various pen names, most famously "Brutus," historians generally agree that among the authors of the Anti-Federalist essays were Robert Yates, Samuel Bryan, George Clinton, and Richard Henry Lee.
Materials
1. Anti-Federalist Papers #1, #9, #46, and #84 (excerpts). Source: Morton Borden, ed. The Antifederalist Papers(East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1965). Unlike the Federalist Papers, the essays by Anti-Federalists were not conceived of as a unified series. Thus historians have imposed different numbering systems as they compiled various essays; the numbers used here are Morton Borden’s chronology. 2. US Constitution, 1787 3. Overhead projector or other display method
Objective
The students will deeply understand the major arguments concerning the ratification of the US Constitution. This understanding will be built upon close analysis of the Federalist Papers and Anti-Federalist Papers. The students will demonstrate their understanding in both writing and speaking.
Introduction
Tell the students that now they get to apply their knowledge and understanding of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments. They will need to select a debate moderator from within their group and divide the remaining students into Federalists and Anti-Federalists. As a group they will write questions based on the issues presented in the primary documents. They will also script responses from both sides based solely on what is written in the documents. This is not an actual debate but rath...
Materials
1. Federalist Papers #1, #10, #51, and #84 (excerpts) 2. Anti-Federalist Papers #1, #9, #46, and #84 (excerpts) 3. US Constitution, 1787
Aug 5, 2018 · Description. This video clip explains who the Anti- Federalists were and what beliefs they held that challenged the creation of a strong central government. This bell ringer explains key terms and ...
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Mar 3, 2015 · James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay came together and developed a sequence of essays to ease the fears of the Antifederalists. In these essays, now known as the Federalists Papers, Madison, Hamilton, and Jay solved many problems that the Antifederalists had with the Constitution. Most importantly, they suggested a series of checks ...
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Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists. by Carol Berkin. Historian Carol Berkin briefly discusses the arguments put forth by Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the state ratification conventions.
May 6, 2022 · Teacher's Note: Lesson Preparation. Prior to the lesson, prepare the attached Card Sort Activity. Print on heavy paper or card stock and cut out a 10-card set for each group of three to four students. Place each set in individual ziplock bags or envelopes, if possible. Use the attached Lesson Slides to guide the lesson.
