Brutus 1 Explained | What Elements of the Constitution Concerned the Anti-Federalists?

After the Constitution was completed and signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787, many of the debates from Independence Hall continued in the debate over ratification in the states. For the Constitution to go into effect, nine of them would have to ratify (or agree to adopt) it. A party division arose: Federalists argued in favor of ratification, Anti-Federalists against. Leading Federalists James Madison and Alexander Hamilton made a case for ratification in the Federalist Papers. Leading Anti-Federalists Patrick Henry and George Mason (the latter who had attended the Convention but refused to sign the final document) argued that the central government created by the Constitution would be a threat to liberty.

Use this lesson with The Ratification Debate on the Constitution Narrative and the Were the Anti-Federalists Unduly Suspicious or Insightful Political Thinkers? Point-Counterpoint to have students analyze the debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

The Anti-Federalist papers were written by a variety of authors in opposition to the ratification of the Constitution. Those that were written under the pen name of Brutus are arguably the most cohesive of these documents.