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The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates
by
The dissenting opinions of Patrick Henry and others who saw the Constitution as a threat to our hard-won rights and liberties.
Edited and introduced by Ralph Ketcham.
Edited and introduced by Ralph Ketcham.
Paperback, 480 pages
Published
May 6th 2003
by Signet Book
(first published October 7th 1986)
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Dan Powers
The other side of the argument- the side which lost the argument over having a Constitution.
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Start your review of The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates

After you read the federalist papers it is so mind blowing to read the counter arguments. Both are such a study in government and propaganda. Again, I would recommend reading these essays over any american history text book to anyone that wants to really understand our government. They are facinating.

Overall it is hit and miss. Ketcham gives a VERY detailed review of the Constitutional Convention (180 pages). If you have read The Federalist Papers then you can probably skip it. He does provide a fine annotated bibliography at the end (this is one of those things that separates good books from great ones).
Summarizing the Anti-Federalist Position
(1) It is agreed that the Articles were defective, but that does not logically prove that the new Constitution is good (Melancton Smith).
(2) The probl ...more
Summarizing the Anti-Federalist Position
(1) It is agreed that the Articles were defective, but that does not logically prove that the new Constitution is good (Melancton Smith).
(2) The probl ...more

Great.

Kind of tough to read, but if you want to know what went wrong with the country, it's that these guys were right.
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I would argue that the anti-Federalists' papers are more important than those of the Federalists. I predicate this on the belief that greater comprehension of the status quo comes through studying that which dissents from it.
Believe that or not, either way if you had a teacher who forced you to read the Federalist papers and not the anti-Federalist papers, he was most assuredly a fascist. ...more
Believe that or not, either way if you had a teacher who forced you to read the Federalist papers and not the anti-Federalist papers, he was most assuredly a fascist. ...more

A loose political coalition of popular politicians, such as Patrick Henry, who unsuccessfully opposed the strong central government envisioned in the U.S. Constitution of 1787 and whose agitations led to the addition of a Bill of Rights. The first in the long line of states’ rights advocates, they feared the authority of a single national government, upper-class dominance, inadequate separation of powers, and loss of immediate control over local affairs. The Anti-Federalists were strong in the k
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Excellent. Academic. History debated and made. Get yourself educated please. Read the Federalist Papers and the Anti-Federalist Papers. There is a good reason we have the Constitution we have. It took years of study and months of public debate and a string of amendments to make it the greatest leadership roadmap in the history of the world.

Nov 22, 2020
Ethan S.
added it
The title “The Anti-Federalist Papers” is a misnomer: when we hear “The Federalist Papers,” we know this specifically refers to the series of 85 essays written in an organized and coordinated manner by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay explaining and defending the system of government described in the new United States Constitution, and encouraging the ratification of the same. This has never been the case for “Anti-Federalist papers” because the writing and collection of Anti-Fede
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The Anti-Federalist Papers were written less in response to the Federalist arguments than I had anticipated. The true discussion was between the Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitution itself. The Anti-Federalist Papers were not less enjoyable a read for all that; in fact, they were impassioned, with moments of stunningly powerful rhetoric. Their downfall lay more in the repetition of or contradiction between the different arguments, the natural result of their not having been designed to be
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Finally finally!!! Finishing this was my Christmas present to myself. Also a HUGE realization that I can’t put down a book once I start it. Full (or slow) speed ahead!
This was very interesting to hear the conversations that led to the final draft, but I found what was the very most interesting to me, was reading the last 8 pages with the amendments and their dates. Prohibition, removing the prohibition, ending slavery, women getting the right to vote, gosh it was all so great to read how we’ve e ...more
This was very interesting to hear the conversations that led to the final draft, but I found what was the very most interesting to me, was reading the last 8 pages with the amendments and their dates. Prohibition, removing the prohibition, ending slavery, women getting the right to vote, gosh it was all so great to read how we’ve e ...more

I'm very thankful for Hemingway.
...more

A collection of various speeches and arguments that took place during the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and the debates that occurred during the ratification process. Several things really struck a chord with me:
1) James Wilson of Pennsylvania had a much more assertive personality than he was portrayed as having in the musical 1776;
2) A common assumption among the debaters seemed to be that the Electoral College would often fail to provide a majority of votes to any single candidate for Pre ...more
1) James Wilson of Pennsylvania had a much more assertive personality than he was portrayed as having in the musical 1776;
2) A common assumption among the debaters seemed to be that the Electoral College would often fail to provide a majority of votes to any single candidate for Pre ...more

The new American republic struggled to devise a system of government that would work for the "average" citizen by creating checks and balances to each aspect of the federal system: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The Articles of Confederation was first. Using that as a starting point, the founding fathers argued both for and against a strong federal government. The Federalist Papers contain the arguments in favor, and the Anti-Federalist Papers contain the arguments against. Af
...more

Excellent material, largely quoted from James Madison's notes written as the debates were occurring. Puts into perspective some of the critical, delicate elements in the formation of a Senate, an Electoral College, and a Supreme Court. Strong participation by George Mason, James Wilson, and Gouverneur Morris, as well as by Madison himself, provides a much-expanded view of the Founding. Alexander Hamilton in particular stands out as a sort of "devil's advocate:" after saying he believes the Conve
...more

This took a while to read but was very interesting. Though it felt repetitive at times (the idea that there wouldn't be enough representatives in the House to represent the states' populations was a common refrain) it was interesting how many of the objections brought up back then are still brought up today (like congressmen and senators having no term limits or objections about states rights).
Favorite quote:
"When the public is called to investigate and decide upon a question in which not only t ...more
Favorite quote:
"When the public is called to investigate and decide upon a question in which not only t ...more

The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates by Ralph Louis Ketcham is a very good introduction to and compilation of the the debates regarding the the adoption constitution. If there is a flaw to note here, it is that too little is given in the way of explanation, and the key content of these documents are not highlighted all too often. We are left more informed for information's sake, but we are left bereft of guiding stars for what, exactly, we are meant to take away.
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I had read the Federalist Papers in the 1990's and thought this would be a good book to read to refresh myself on the constitutional convention. The portion of this book that addressed the convention was informative. I had a little disappointment with the lack of material on the papers the Anti-Federalists wrote. When I purchased the book I thought it would be similar to the Federalist Papers, the entire volume present. It was an informative read, based on what the presidential election of 2020
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I understand and validate that reading this is important context for the Federalist Papers, especially seeing as most of the writings here were created before the Federalist Papers were even conceived. That said, the writing is simply not as proficient in these works (comparing Madison and Hamilton to George Clinton - assuming he's responsible for some of these - is hardly fair), and the Anti-Federalist arguments tend to promote opposition while failing to offer solutions. So I don't find it har
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I believe it's important to read both sides of any argument. The Anti-Federalists had real concerns over a Federal Government, and the issues they pushed for are enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Melancton Smith in the end brought up some interesting thoughts such as term limits in the Senate. I would love to have term limits for both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and return power to state legislatures to appoint Senators.
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The Anti-Federalists Were Prophets!
Over and over the pro-republicanism, big government skeptics such as Melanchthon Smith of New York, made the case for liberty under God, not under all-powerful government. All of the then warned about the flaws of a national government—these have now all become freedom destroying social democratic mandates funded by unimaginable debt. History never repeats itself, but it sure buries timeless truth under new layers of lies and destruction.
Over and over the pro-republicanism, big government skeptics such as Melanchthon Smith of New York, made the case for liberty under God, not under all-powerful government. All of the then warned about the flaws of a national government—these have now all become freedom destroying social democratic mandates funded by unimaginable debt. History never repeats itself, but it sure buries timeless truth under new layers of lies and destruction.

This was an eye-opening read. The documents show how many different objections prominent Americans had to the Constitution and how many different opinions the delegates to the Constitutional convention had about what form of government we should have. Excellent compilation. (It was missing the 27th amendment for some reason…)

This book was definitely not my style, as I don't appeal to such books. But overall seeing the cleverness of the writing was very neat.
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A specialist in American constitutional and political theory in the early republic and a former editor of the papers of James Madison, Ralph Ketcham was Maxwell Professor of Citizenship and Public Affairs emeritus at Syracuse University. Ketcham attended the Coast Guard Academy, Allegheny College, and Colgate University before earning his doctorate in Ameican Studies from the Maxwell School in 195
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“Whenever a clamor is raised, and idle men get to work, it is highly necessary to examine facts carefully, and without unreasonably suspecting men of falshood, to examine, and enquire attentively, under what impressions they act.”
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“It is too often the case in political concerns, that men state facts not as they are, but as they wish them to be; and almost every man, by calling to mind past scenes, will find this to be true.”
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