What was the name for supporters of the proposed Constitution?
Asked by: Prof. Kaleigh Watsica | Last update: January 31, 2026Score: 4.2/5 (49 votes)
Supporters of the proposed U.S. Constitution were called Federalists, a name adopted by those who favored a stronger central government and ratification, contrasting with the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. They argued for the Constitution's adoption through essays like the influential Federalist Papers, written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
Who were supporters of the Constitution called?
The name Federalists was adopted both by the supporters of ratification of the U.S. Constitution and by members of one of the nation's first two political parties.
Who supported the proposed Constitution?
Famous Federalists included two of America's most beloved figures—George Washington and Benjamin Franklin—and some of the nation's most gifted political leaders (and thinkers), including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, John Dickinson, James Wilson, and Gouverneur Morris.
What were people called who supported the Constitution?
The term "Federalist" was previously used to refer to a somewhat different coalition of nationalists led by Washington, which advocated replacing the weaker national government under the Articles of Confederation with a new Constitution in 1789. This early coalition included Hamilton and James Madison.
Who were the supporters of the new Constitution?
The Federalist Party:
Federalism was born in 1787, when Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison wrote 85 essays collectively known as the Federalist papers. These eloquent political documents encouraged Americans to adopt the newly-written Constitution and its stronger central government.
Add These Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Who were the supporters of the U.S. Constitution?
Two factions soon emerged, one supporting the Constitution, the Federalists, and the other opposing it, the so-called Anti-Federalists.
Which group proposed a new Constitution?
On February 21, 1787, the Confederation Congress agreed to call for a convention of state delegates to meet in Philadelphia for the “sole and express purpose of revising the Articles.” Instead of amending the Articles of Confederation, the convention delegates crafted an entirely new framework of government: the U.S. ...
What did the supporters of the proposed Constitution call themselves?
Supporters of the proposed Constitution called themselves Federalists and labeled their opponents Anti-Federalists. The names stuck, even though the opponents argued that they—not the Constitution's supporters—were the real believers in a truly "federal" system, a confederation of equal states.
What are Federalists and Anti-Federalists?
Federalists and Anti-Federalists were opposing political factions during the U.S. Constitution's ratification, with Federalists supporting a strong central government for national unity (like Hamilton, Madison) and Anti-Federalists opposing it, fearing tyranny and advocating for states' rights and a Bill of Rights (like Jefferson, Patrick Henry) to protect individual liberties. Their debate led to the Constitution's ratification and the eventual addition of the Bill of Rights.
What was the name given to those who did not support the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists were against the ratification of the Constitution for many reasons.
Who favored the proposed Constitution?
The Federalists were instrumental in 1787 in shaping the new US Constitution, which strengthened the national government at the expense, according to the Antifederalists, of the states and the people.
Was Thomas Jefferson a supporter of the Constitution?
While abroad, Jefferson corresponded with members of the Constitutional Convention, particularly his close associate from Virginia, James Madison. He agreed to support the Constitution and the strong federal government it created.
What is the opposite of a Federalist?
Anti-Federalists, in early U.S. history, a loose political coalition of popular politicians, such as Patrick Henry, who unsuccessfully opposed the strong central government envisioned in the U.S. Constitution of 1787 and whose agitations led to the addition of a Bill of Rights.
Who were the main supporters of the ratification of the Constitution?
Those like Washington who supported ratification of the Constitution, such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, referred to themselves as Federalists.
What were the people who made the Constitution called?
But who were these 55 men, whom we now call the Framers of the Constitution? The youngest was Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, and the oldest was Benjamin Franklin, aged 81; the average age was forty-two. Most were prominent in their states, and some had played important roles in the Revolution.
What is another word for anti-federalist?
The Antifederalists would have preferred to be known as democratic republicans or federal republicans, but they acquired the name antifederal, or Anti-federal, or Antifederal as a result of the particular events of American history.
Was Benjamin Franklin a federalist or anti-federalist?
Benjamin Franklin, while aligned with the Federalists, was wary of a central government with too much power. He favored a committee to lead the executive branch but accepted having a single president instead. Alexander Hamilton was a leading voice among the Federalists.
Why did the Anti-Federalists choose the pseudonym Brutus?
The pen name is in honor of either Lucius Junius Brutus, who led the overthrow of the last Roman King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, or Marcus Junius Brutus, who was one of Julius Caesar's assassins.
What did they call those who supported the Constitution?
Those who favored the Constitution were called Federalists. They wanted the strong national government the Constitution provided. The Federalists included many Nationalists, such as George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton.
Who were the Federalists who supported the Constitution?
Then James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers. The Federalist Papers explained the new government. They said that the new United States needed the Constitution. Newspapers all over the United States published the Federalist Papers.
Was Benjamin Franklin a supporter of the Constitution?
In addition to his support at the Constitutional Convention, Franklin also served as an early editor and helped with the first round of copy edits on Thomas Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration of Independence.
What group wanted to support the Constitution?
Led by Alexander Hamilton, albeit secretly at first, the Federalists were the first political party of the United States. They supported the Constitution, and attempted to convince the States to ratify the document.
What was the U.S. called before 1776?
Before 1776, the land that became the United States was known as British America, a collection of distinct colonies, often called the "United Colonies" (or "United Colonies of North America") by the colonists themselves, who identified more with their specific colony than a unified nation. The name "United States of America" first appeared in the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, officially adopted by the Second Continental Congress in September 1776.
Which two government groups may propose amendments to the Constitution?
Article V sets out two procedures for amending the Constitution. First, Congress may propose amendments by two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate. Second, two-thirds of the state legislatures may call a convention for proposing amendments, though this has not happened to date.