Federalists supported the constitution as presented by the convention delegates. They made their most famous arguments in a series of essays. Authors James Madison,John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton knew achieving ratification depended on convincing the public and state legislators that the constitution would empower the new nation to succeed. Different essays address different aspects of the ratification debate. Thomas Jefferson and Mercy Otis Warren were prominent Anti-Federalists. Mercy Otis Warren wrote several pieces critical of the proposed constitution. Anti-federalists opposed the constitution on the grounds that it gave the national government too much power that would erode state’ authority and endanger individual freedoms.
