Name ____________________________    Date ______________

Chapter 5: Study Guide

Section 2: The Struggle for Ratification

Focus:

1) After the Articles of Confederation had been changed and a new Constitution had been written, it needed to be approved by the states.

How many states needed to approve the Constitution for it to become part of the new nation?

2) The framers (writers) of the Constitution worried that most state legislatures would vote against it.  Why did they feel the states would not like the Constitution?

The Federalists:

3) The supporters of the Constitution were called “The Federalists.”  Why did the Federalists want a strong, national government?

The Anti-Federalists:

4) The opponents of the Constitution were called “The Anti-Federalists.”  Why were the Anti-Federalists afraid of a strong, national government?

The Bill of Rights Issue:

5) The Anti-Federalists were worried that the Constitution left out a “Bill of Rights” that would protect the individual rights of the people.  Why did the Federalists think a Bill of Rights was unnecessary?

6) Who was Patrick Henry and what did he want?

The Federalist:

7) Some important people responded to Patrick Henry’s arguments in a paper called “The Federalist.”  Who were these important people and what was their argument?

Ratification:

8) Support for the Constitution grew when two respected patriots spoke in favor of the Constitution.  Who were these patriots?

9) The Federalists agreed to a compromise about the Bill of Rights.  They would propose a Bill of Rights if what happened?

10) The new government was officially born when what state ratified the Constitution?

11) Why did the new government needed the support of Virginia and New York?

12) When did all of the states finally ratify the Constitution?

13) Why does the ratification of the Constitution show the birth of our nation, rather than the signing of the Declaration of Independence?