Home > The Constitution > The Federalist Debate (HS)

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:
  • Identify the arguments used by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification debate
  • Analyze excerpts from the Federalist Papers (#84) and Anti-Federalist Papers (#46)
  • Describe the importance of the Bill of Rights in the ratification debate 

Overview

It’s easy to forget how much drama surrounded the Constitution before it became the law of the land. The ratification debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists gives us insight into the ideas behind both sides and a better understanding of how our government developed in its early years. Students will analyze parts of Federalist 84 and Anti-Federalist 46. We also provide a template so you can bring in additional excerpts as your state standards require.

iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.

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