Free Speech gave us the Constitution & Bill of Rights
In “Free Speech gave us the Constitution & Bill of Rights,” Episode, #189, Meredith Curtis introduces you to the men and women who fought just as hard after the American Revolution about the Constitution. Meet the Federalists: George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay. Meet the Anti-Federalists: Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, John Randolph. The battle raged in newspapers and public squares across the country – free speech in action. What were the men so passionate about? Who won the battle? What did the losers do?
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Show Notes
When 13 little colonies won the Revolutionary War, the Great Experiment began. Was it working? Some thought the Articles of Confederation needed tweaking and others thought they needed overhauling.
A Constitutional Convention was called, but some refused to go.
Concerns of the Federalists
Believed the Federal government was too weak and were concerned about the debt and possible invasions.
Concerns of the Anti-Federalists
Believed a powerful federal government could become corrupt leading to tyranny.
How They Battled
They battled in the newspapers of America writing letters back and forth, for and against the Constitution.
Federalist letters were written to defend the new Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison wrote most of them. Now called Federalist Papers.
Anti-federalist letters were written to defend the Articles of Confederation. Thomas Jefferson, John Randolph, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, and Robert Yates were some of the Anti-Federalist writers.
Valid Points of the Federalists
Need for a federal government strong enough to pay off debt & protect the nation.
Valid Points of the Anti-Federalists
When a federal government has too much power it is out of touch, corrupt, and tyrannical.
Constitutional Convention
Trying to rewrite the Articles of Confederation – a brand new Consitution was written by a group who argued and compromised and argued some more.
Who Won?
The Federalists won, but the Anti-Federalists didn’t give up. The Constitution divided power into three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. Written in 1787, it was ratified in 1788 and became effective in 1789.
What Did the Anti-Federalists Do?
Ran for office. Added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution.
Life Lesson from the President of the Constitutional Convention
His first cabinet was polarized – federalist and antifederalist. President Washington’s Farewell Address (1797)urged Americans to trust in God, live moral lives, and avoid entanglement with other nations. He urged Americans to stay neutral. He also encouraged Americans to avoid sectionalism that would splinter Americans from one another.
Life Lesson from the Anti-Federalists
When you lose, don’t take your marbles & go home. Adjust and continue to fight for what you believe in. In order to protect individual and states’ rights, the Bill of Rights, the first 10 Amendments, was added in 1789 and ratified in 1791.
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