Federalist or Antifederalist - Weebly



Federalist or Anti-Federalist

Part I. (5 pts each – 30 pts) Who made the following statements? A Federalist or an Anti-federalist? Write in an F if you think the statement reflects the opinion of a Federalist and an AF if you believe only an Anti-federalist could feel that way. For longer versions of the represented documents, read the following: Federalist Papers (1788), George Mason: "Objections to This Constitution of Government " article (1787), Richard Henry Lee: Letters from a Federal Farmer to the Republican (1787).

1. _____ " . . . the Constitution adopts, in their full extent, the common and statute law of Great Britain, by which many other rights, not expressed in it, are equally secured."

2. _____ "There is no declaration of any kind, for preserving the liberty of the press, or the trial by jury in civil causes; nor against the danger of standing armies in times of peace."

3. _____ "This consolidation of the states has been the object of several men in this country for some time past. . . . Whether [such a change] will not totally destroy the liberties of this country—time can only determine."

4. _____ "In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. "

5. _____ "[Great Britain] is become a great, mighty, and splendid nation; not because their government is strong and energetic, but, sir, because liberty is its direct end and foundation"

6. _____ "For representation, Sir, is the true chain between the people and those to whom they entrust the administration of the government."

Part II. (10 pts each – 20 pts) Decide if the individuals described below were a Federalist, an Anti-Federalist, or undecided. Beneath each biography, list the reasons for your selection.

7. ____________________________ Thomas Abraham Clark, the son of a prominent Philadelphia lawyer, was born into extreme wealth. He was educated at home by private tutors and entered local politics at a very early age. He soon rose to the top of his state in politics. Having traveled extensively in Europe, he is obsessed with the tyranny of European governments. He has corresponded with Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson. He is convinced that a strong government headed by a king is and has been, the curse of mankind throughout history. Under the Articles of Confederation, Thomas’ law practice prospered, but he is concerned over the inflated value of some colonial currency.

8. ___________________________ Josiah Bartlett was born a farmer. He has little formal schooling, but has read extensively. At the age of 12, Josiah left home to serve an apprenticeship as a cooper. By the age of 18, he set out to make his mark in his state. Working as an overseer on small plantations, he soon saved enough money to beg-in buying of his own land. By 1775, he owned half of the land in the state. Rather than operating large scale and exclusively slave plantations, Josiah invested in smaller farms operated by indentured servants. He ships a great deal of cotton to Europe. His economic interests are threatened not only by the unstable currency, but by the high tariffs and taxes imposed by neighboring states.

Part III. (50 pts) Read the attached handout answer the following questions. You may use the back of the page, if needed

9. Do you identify more with the Federalists’ or the Anti-federalists’ cause? Why? Be sure to include specific evidence from the reading and class lecture. (20 pts)

10. To what extent has the Federalist/Anti-Federalist dialogue shaped modern politics today? Consider the debates between Barack Obama and John McCain. Are we still having the same conversations? Provide at least 3 examples from the reading and compare and/or contrast them with issues presented in the 2008 Presidential Election. (30 pts)

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