Alexander Hamilton (l.) from the U.S. National Archives and Records Adminsitration,
and Thomas Jefferson (r.) from the American Memory Collection
at the Library of Congress

 

The Federalist Debates: Balancing Power Between State and Federal Governments

Constitution Day > Learn More > Federalist Debates

Introduction

One of the most hotly debated issues during the formation of the American government was how much power the federal government should have - or alternatively, how much liberty states and citizens should have. We begin by tracing the U.S. federal system of government to its roots, established by America's Founding Fathers in the late 18th century, highlighting the controversial issue of state sovereignty versus federal power. We compare the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution, analyzing why weaknesses in the former led to the creation of the latter. Then we examine the resulting system of government formed by the Constitution, investigating the relationship between federal and state governments as they exist today. Finally, we reflect back on history and argue whether Hamilton or Jefferson had the more enduring vision for America.

Our goal is to

  • Understand the differences and similarities between state and federal governments and their functions, structures, and powers
  • Explain the basic positions of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, whose convictions were represented to varying degrees by Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson,
  • Make arguments on behalf of those Founding Fathers who favored strong federal government and those who favored strong states' rights

For further background on the Founding Fathers, Founding Documents, and establishment of a new democratic nation, you might consult the following EDSITEment-reviewed resources:

Background Information

At the same time the thirteen original colonies drafted the Declaration of Independence to announce their intended separation from England, they also wrote the Articles of Confederation to define their relationship with each other as a joint entity. The Articles served to unify the colonies through the Revolution, but as the new states tried to recover from the war and move ahead as a nation, the Articles of Confederation proved too weak to be effective. As the Library of Congress article "To Form a More Perfect Union" explains, "With the passage of time, weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation became apparent; Congress commanded little respect and no support from state governments anxious to maintain their power. Congress could not raise funds, regulate trade, or conduct foreign policy without the voluntary agreement of the states. Recognizing the need to improve the government, Congress tried to strengthen the Articles, but problems persisted."

Essentially, the Congress could not raise money from the states, and thus there was no budget for the collective governing body. Thus, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was convened. "To Form a More Perfect Union" summarizes the cause and result of this convention: "The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called to revise the ailing Articles of Confederation. However, the Convention soon abandoned the Articles, drafting a new Constitution with a much stronger national government. Nine states had to approve the Constitution before it could go into effect. After a long and often bitter debate, eleven states ratified the Constitution, which instituted a new form of government for the United States."

The debate was lively and heated and largely centered around how much power the federal government should have. Two Founding Fathers who represented opposing sides were Alexander Hamilton, who argued for a strong national government with James Madison and John Jay in the seminal Federalist Papers, and Thomas Jefferson, who favored a weaker central government and more power resting with individual states. While Jefferson left for a diplomatic position in France in 1784 and did not return to the United States until 1789, he paid close attention to the ratification debates raging in his home country, and shared with Anti-Federalists, including George Mason and Patrick Henry, grave concerns about the new Constitution.

Behind their philosophies were their different perspectives on human nature: Jefferson was an idealist who believed in the inherent good of humanity, and Hamilton was a pragmatist who was more cynical about trusting people to do the right thing. These men and others spent months deliberating about how much centralized government was the right amount for a functioning democracy. The issue was particularly salient because the states had just won independence from a government they considered too controlling, in which decisions were made about the colonists' lives and finances without involving those affected. Thus, there was a strong reaction against a government far removed from those being governed and their concerns, which differed significantly among the colonies. Nonetheless, a government that could not even raise enough money to support its own work could do little good for its people.

Eventually, the Constitution was developed through much deliberation, compromise, and commitment to democratic ideals. The Congress approved the Constitution in 1787, and it was ratified in 1788 by the ninth state (New Hampshire), the final approval needed to put it into effect. This document established the structure of our democratic government as it still stands today. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were proposed in 1789 and ratified in 1791. Agreement was not reached easily, and a key sticking point was the power of the federal government. Read more of the powerful debate in the Federalist and Anti-Federalist papers.

Perfecting the Union: From the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution

Read the brief overview of the period of American history between the Articles of Confederation (drafted in 1776 and approved in 1781) and the Constitution (drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1788), which replaced the original Articles with a stronger federal government after much debate. The following documents from EDSITEment-reviewed websites serve as a good place to begin:

You may then wish to read and compare the Articles of Confederation (the first plan for American government) with the U.S. Constitution (the final plan for American government).

For more background on the ideas and documents that paved the way for the Constitution, see EDSITEment lessons, Jefferson vs. Franklin: Renaissance Men and Jefferson vs. Franklin: Revolutionary Philosophers.

Liberty and Human Nature

Examine the quotations below from Jefferson and Hamilton expressing opposing views about human nature. How much liberty is enough?

"It has been so often said, as to be generally believed, that Congress have no power by the Confederation to enforce anything, for example, contributions of money. It was not necessary to give them that power expressly, for they have it by the law of nature. When two parties make a compact, there results to each a power of compelling the other to execute it."
—Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Edward Carrington, 1787

"Has it not, on the contrary, invariably been found that momentary passions, and immediate interest, have a more active and imperious control over human conduct than general or remote considerations of policy, utility or justice?"
—Alexander Hamilton, in The Federalist Papers, Section 6, 1788

Jefferson vs. Hamilton: Whose Vision Endures?

You might enjoy reviewing the basic online activity, "You Decide: Jefferson or Hamilton?", available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Learner.Org. The activity is presented in an interesting point/counterpoint format, in which quotations from Hamilton and Jefferson are interwoven with background text and the recurring question, "Who had the more enduring vision for the United States?" But the question is not, of course, simple. You will find more resources pertaining to this question in the many links below.

Selected EDSITEment Websites