Patrick Hickey October 2, 2008 Dr. Bennett POLS 102.006 Debating the Constitution In late September of 1787, the thirteen colonies were each sent a copy of the proposed Constitution to be approved for ratification. Almost instantaneously, the Constitution became allocated by the vast majority of the people who seemed to show a more cynical reaction rather than a propitious one. (Epstein) Without thinking twice, James Madison began writing the Federalist Papers as a contradiction to the dissidents of the ratification. These papers also helped interpret the new Constitution to the residents of New York and compel them to affirm it. In counter-response to Madison’s papers, there were also the Anti-Federalist Papers. These papers were not as organized as the Federalist Papers and were written based on opinion in rebuttal of the ratification. (Furtwangler) While both sides may not be completely acclimated with each others viewpoints, they did surprisingly share similar perspectives in a couple areas. Both the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists were in concurrence that what the Union needed was some form of a Republic. (Storing) After the American Revolution, the Union was completely out of control and both parties felt there needed to be a strong national government to threaten and control uncooperative states. (Mines) This was, however, the only reason the Anti-Federalists wanted a stronger national government. Realizing that this true representation would be near impossible, the Anti-Federalists created a new goal: to have the representatives meet the needs of the middle class. Only a small republic can form the kind of citizens who will maintain republican government. The Anti-Federalists emphasized repeatedly that the character of a people is affected by the government and laws, and that this relation had been dangerously ignored in the framing of the proposed Constitution. How did the Federalists respond to the arguments raised by the Anti-Federalists?...