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Difficulty: Very hardThe Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

"We shall have a government, in which the house of representatives will be composed of about sixty-five men, and the senate of twenty-six. ... The natural distribution of people in society is into two classes: the one, wealthy, well-born, and highly educated; the other, the middling and lower classes... A representative assembly should be a true picture of the people. ... But in this government, the elections will be so managed that the wealthy and the well-born will always command them."
—Melancton Smith, speech at the New York Ratifying Convention, 1788

Which of the following arguments raised by Federalists during the ratification debates was directly intended to counter the criticism of the proposed legislature expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A large republic would prevent local factions from easily capturing districts, thereby ensuring that elected representatives possess broader merit and civic virtue.Answer
  2. B
    The Articles of Confederation had already demonstrated that a unicameral congress with one vote per state was the most effective way to represent the middle class.
  3. C
    The creation of a national bank would provide the necessary capital to elevate the economic status of the lower and middling classes.
  4. D
    The omission of a bill of rights was necessary because the Articles of Confederation had already failed to guarantee individual liberties against state power.

Answer

The Federalist argument that a large republic would prevent local factions from easily capturing districts, thereby ensuring that elected representatives possess broader merit and civic virtue.
The correct answer is correct because Federalists argued that a larger republic and larger electoral districts would make it harder for local factions to dominate elections. Consequently, voters would be more likely to elect representatives of distinguished character, civic virtue, and broad capability. This directly countered the Anti-Federalist view that a small legislature would inevitably lead to a government dominated by the wealthy elite at the expense of the middle and lower classes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the historical source excerpt to identify the core argument.
The author (Melancton Smith) argues that the proposed small size of the federal legislature will result in only the wealthy elite being elected, failing to achieve a representative assembly that is a 'true picture' of the middle and lower classes.
Understanding the Anti-Federalist critique of representation is necessary to identify the matching Federalist counterargument.
2
Recall the Federalist response to criticisms regarding the size and nature of representation in the proposed House of Representatives.
Federalists (e.g., James Madison in Federalist No. 10 and Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No. 35) argued that larger districts would refine and enlarge public views by filtering them through representatives chosen for their virtue and wisdom rather than local biases.
This step connects the specific historical debate to the theoretical arguments presented by the Federalists.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that accurately represents this Federalist position and addresses the source's concern.
The option asserting that a large republic prevents local factions from capturing districts and ensures representatives of civic virtue directly counters Smith's critique.
The correct answer must accurately state a historical argument from the Federalist side of the ratification debates that addresses legislative representation.

Key Concept

Federalist and Anti-Federalist Debates on Representation
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

The Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

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