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Anti-Federalist Papers is the collective name given to the works written by the Founding Fathers who were opposed to or concerned with the merits of the United States Constitution of 1787. Starting on 25 September 1787 (eight days after the final draft of the US Constitution) and running through the early 1790s, these Anti-Federalists published a series of essays arguing against the ratification of the new Constitution.^[1] They argued against the implementation of a stronger federal government without protections on certain rights. The Anti-federalist papers failed to halt the ratification of the Constitution but they succeeded in influencing the first assembly of the United States Congress to draft the United States Bill of Rights.^[2] These works were authored primarily by anonymous contributors using pseudonyms such as "Brutus" and the "Federal Farmer." Unlike the Federalist Papers, the Anti-Federalists created their works as part of an unorganized group.^[3]

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Legacy

The Anti-Federalists proved unable to stop the ratification of the US Constitution, which took effect in 1789. Since then, the essays they wrote have largely fallen into obscurity.^[4] The influence of their writing, however, can be seen to this day – particularly in the nature and shape of the United States Bill of Rights. Federalists, such as Alexander Hamilton, vigorously argued against its passage but were in the end forced to compromise.

The Massachusetts Compromise took place during the ratification process after 5 states had already ratified. Despite being the minority power, Anti-Federalists were able to create enough stir to prevent Massachusetts from ratifying the newly drafted Constitution. They agreed that there would need to at least be amendments made before their state would ratify the Constitution, leading to the beginning of the United States Bill of Rights.^[3] Other states with strong Anti-Federalist populations would follow this example, expanding this list of amendments to the 10 we know today. The Bill of Rights was constructed specifically to quell the fears of the Anti-Federalists and to address their concerns. The Anti-Federalists feared that there were not enough checks and balances to protect the citizens from a governmental abuse of power. As such, the Anti-Federalists focused on explicitly listing out the individuals' rights and freedoms including free practice of religion, press, legal rights, and arms for protection from both their fellow man and government military occupation like what they faced during the Revolution. To prevent the Federal government from assuming all unspecified powers, as the Anti-Federalists feared, the 10th and final Amendment in the Bill of Rights states that all powers not specified in the Constitution would be left to the States. These State's Rights would be a cornerstone issue for the entirety of United States history, from the treatment and freeing of slaves to the modern-day healthcare systems. The Anti-Federalists were not successful in stopping the ratification of the Constitution, but their actions are still stifling the Federal Government centuries after the writers of the Anti-Federalist papers are gone.^[5]

Authorship

The authorship behind the anti-federalist papers is not definitively known. However, it is believed that a number of prominent figures were involved in writing them, including Cato, Centinel and Brutus.[1]In addition to these individuals, there are several other people who have been suggested as possible contributors to the anti-federalist papers. These include George Mason, Robert Yates and Melancton Smith among others.[2]It has been argued by some historians that Thomas Jefferson was one of the main authors behind the anti-federalist papers due to his strong opposition to centralized government power at this time period.[3]

References

^ Klarman, Michael J. (2016). The Framers' Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution. Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 9780199942046.
^ Cooper, Charles J. (1993). "Independent of Heaven Itself: Differing Federalist and Anti-Federalist Perspectives on the Centralizing Tendency of the Federal Judiciary". Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. 16 (1): 119 – via Academic Search Premier.
^ ^a ^b Cornell, Saul (1999). The Other Founders: Anti-Federalism and the Dissenting Tradition in America, 1788-1828. University of North Carolina Press. pp. 22–24. ISBN 0807847860.
^ Hutson, James H. (June 1983). "The Incomplete Antifederalist". Reviews in American History. 11 (2): 204–207 – via JSTOR.
^ The anti-Federalist : an abridgment, by Murray Dry, of the Complete anti-Federalist, edited, with commentary and notes, by Herbert J. Storing. Murray Dry, Herbert J. Storing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1985. ISBN 0-226-77565-8. OCLC 11133209.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[1] Klarman, Michael J. (2016). The Framers' Coup: The Making of the United States Constitution. Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 9780199942046.

[2] Cooper, Charles J. (1993). "Independent of Heaven Itself: Differing Federalist and Anti-Federalist Perspectives on the Centralizing Tendency of the Federal Judiciary". Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. 16 (1): 119 – via Academic Search Premier.

[:0-3] Cornell, Saul (1999). The Other Founders: Anti-Federalism and the Dissenting Tradition in America, 1788-1828. University of North Carolina Press. pp. 22–24. ISBN 0807847860.

[4] Hutson, James H. (June 1983). "The Incomplete Antifederalist". Reviews in American History. 11 (2): 204–207 – via JSTOR.

[5] The anti-Federalist : an abridgment, by Murray Dry, of the Complete anti-Federalist, edited, with commentary and notes, by Herbert J. Storing. Murray Dry, Herbert J. Storing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1985. ISBN 0-226-77565-8. OCLC 11133209.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

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