Alexander Hamilton's
collection of essays, the
Federalist Papers.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington were the main
advocates of a federal system. They felt it was the best way to
avoid political tyranny and another revolution. The concept of federalism places a strong emphasis on the social
contract and political participation by citizens. These founders reasoned that such a system would help balance the need for civil order with
the protection of personal liberties that the colonists demanded.
Since the former colonies all had their own identities and allegiances, the possibility of a conflict like the Civil War already seemed possible or even probable in 1787 when a delegation began work on the Constitution. Such a rebellion would leave the entire United States vulnerable to another invasion from Great Britain. Hamilton and Madison, especially, felt that a federal system with a strong central goverenment would best preserve national security. (If a rebellion started in one state, the federal government could act to prevent it from spreading.) A centralized government would also help the new nation achieve recognition by other countries since a federal government could act as the ultimate authority when carrying out foreign policy.
The Founding Fathers understood that many compromises would be required among the states to bring the nation together under federalism and to keep it united. In the nation's beginning, it had taken four years for all of the states to ratify the Articles of Confederation. When the founders made a move toward federalism and began work on the Constitution, they took greater care to separate and coordinate federal policies with those of the states.
What political advantage did the Founding Fathers see in federalism as a way to unite states and citizens from different regions?
Federalism as an approach to government emphasizes the idea of a social contract, which the founders believed would increase political participation and help avoid destructive conflicts.
Federalism as an approach to government emphasizes the idea of a social contract, which the founders believed would increase political participation and help avoid destructive conflicts.
Federalism as an approach to government emphasizes the idea of a social contract, which the founders believed would increase political participation and help avoid destructive conflicts.
Why did certain founders feel a federal system was better for national security than a confederate one?
The difficulty of fighting the Revolutionary War without a standing army and instead relying mostly on state militias, persuaded many founders that a strong central government was needed to maintain military readiness.
The difficulty of fighting the Revolutionary War without a standing army and instead relying mostly on state militias, persuaded many founders that a strong central government was needed to maintain military readiness.
The difficulty of fighting the Revolutionary War without a standing army and instead relying mostly on state militias, persuaded many founders that a strong central government was needed to maintain military readiness.
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