Papers Federalists Ideas behind the Constitution Attempted to sway public opinion by influencing beliefs of pol leaders Letters to Editor: From a NY Newspaper from 1777-1778 Didn't have a union without NY, thus published in NY Debator's Handbook: 85 Fed. Papers Jay- wrote 5-brought prestige by writing NY Constitution Hamilton- wrote 54- father of Constitution, starter of NY POST, energy of operation Madison- wrote 26, including most imp. Ones- 10 and 51 Fed. Papers were signed by Publius bc wanted to be anonymousHamilton's idea Our country is an output of a pol exercise, bc the founding fathers were politicians Political Theory: Hamilton wanted to lay out arguments to change public theory Most authoritative papers to the Constitution They are a justification of the Constitution Federalism: a system of government whereby a nation is comprised of distinct parts, states, each retaining a certain jurisdiction. Constitutionalism: the idea that a basic set of fundamental principles set down on paper and approved by the public would establish the government legitimacy. Articles of Confederation: Set up a gov. that was too weak, bc so concerned with tyranny No pres. Figure No ability to tax No ability to regulate interstate commerce No ability to raise an army o Shay's Rebellion 1787- organized companions stormed state gov. and national gov. could do nothing
Must have agreement Congress in from all state rep.'s to make amendments, thus very hard to amend the articles Design of the New Gov.: Strong, central gov. to prevent tyranny Tyranny- accumulation of all powers legislative, executive and judicial in one hand. Solution: powers be divided and made impossible for one or a set of powers to accumulate all of the powers. Based on observation of how ppl behaved naturally Believed that ppl would naturally protect their own land Idea that power was should be divided among those whose interests were equivalent to the interests of the Constitution Majority Rule vs. Minority Rights Factions are human nature Major conflicts exsist between factions Fed. 10- by Madison, faction= a group of people united by some common purpose or interest Tyranny of the majority= when the have nots ban together to violate the rights Legislator most influenced by majority passions; thus leg. Divided into 2 houses=BICAMERALISM House was to be the popular branch, elected by the people Senate was to be elected by the state legislators 17th Ammendment of 1917: Senate elected by the ppl and the Senators elected every 6 years instead of every 2 years. Conclusion: Founding Fathers were elitists and dem.'s, but more importantly they were politicians Constitution was a product of debate and conflict Readings
Const., bill of rights, amendments to const., fed papers