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Difficulty: MediumStructure and Core Principles of the U.S. Constitution

"In a pure democracy the people are all met, and conduct the public business themselves. In a representative republic, the power of making laws is delegated to a select number of citizens elected by the rest. In so extensive a republic, the great officers of government would soon become above the control of the people... They will use the power, when they have acquired it, to the gratification of their own interest and ambition."
— Brutus No. 1, 1787

The ideas expressed in the excerpt address which of the following core debates concerning the ratification of the United States Constitution?

  1. A
    Whether the federal government should have the authority to establish a national bank to manage state debts.
  2. Whether a representative republican government could successfully preserve liberty over a large geographic area.Answer
  3. C
    Whether the weakness of the central government under the Articles of Confederation required the creation of a standing national army to prevent rebellions.
  4. D
    Whether the Articles of Confederation should be amended to allow the national congress to directly regulate interstate commerce.

Answer

Whether a representative republican government could successfully preserve liberty over a large geographic area.
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt from Brutus No. 1 outlines a classic Anti-Federalist argument: a large, consolidated republic ('so extensive a republic') is incompatible with liberty and representative government. Brutus argues that representatives in a large territory would become detached from the citizenry and abuse their power, which directly relates to the ratification debate over the proper size and scope of a representative republic.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided historical source text.
The source, Brutus No. 1, argues that a 'representative republic' extended over a large territory ('so extensive a republic') will result in representatives who are 'above the control of the people' and who will abuse their power.
To understand the author's primary concern regarding the structure of the government.
2
Contextualize the source within the constitutional debates of 1787.
Anti-Federalists (like Brutus) argued that a large republic would lead to tyranny, while Federalists (like Madison in Federalist No. 10) argued that a large republic would prevent any single faction from dominating.
To connect the specific text to the broader historical debate on constitutional principles.
3
Evaluate the choices to identify the option that matches this analysis.
The option concerning the preservation of liberty in a large representative republic matches this debate. Other options focus on different post-ratification issues or different weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
To select the correct choice based on evidence in the text.

Key Concept

The debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over the size of the republic and the relationship between representatives and the electorate.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Structure and Core Principles of the U.S. Constitution

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