Timeline of the Antifederalists

Federalist-Antifederalist Debates Exhibit Home

Introduction

Public opposition to the proposed new government began immediately after the release of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and was preceded by private objections expressed at the Constitutional Convention and in letters between leaders knowledgeable about what was going on in Philadelphia. As states began ratifying the Constitution, Antifederalist efforts either dropped out of the newspapers entirely, effectively ending the “out of doors debates” in a given state, or in many cases transformed, focusing on what amendments the new government should take up first, and who should be elected to the House and Senate seats. Instead of disappearing upon what would seem like defeat, Antifederalists merely adjusted, and continued their work to sway public opinion to try and shape things to conform to their views of good, republican government.

1787

May 1787

May 16, 1787: The Continental Convention (Pennsylvania)

June 1787

June 20, 1787: John Lansing, George Mason, and Luther Martin (Constitutional Convention)
June 27-28,1787: Luther Martin’s Objections (Constitutional Convention)

September 1787

Sept 10, 1787: Objections of Edmund Randolph (Constitutional Convention)
Sept 13, 1787: Objections to the Constitution by George Mason (Virginia)
Sept 15, 1787: Objections of Elbridge Gerry (Constitutional Convention)
Sept 27, 1787: Cato I (New York)
Sept 29, 1787: Curtius No. I (New York)

October 1787

Oct 1, 1787: Letter from Richard Henry Lee to George Mason (Virginia)
Oct 5, 1787: Centinel I (Pennsylvania)
Oct 8, 1787: Federal Farmer I (Virginia)
Oct 9, 1787: Federal Farmer II (Virginia)
Oct 10, 1787: Federal Farmer III (Virginia)
Oct 10, 1787: Randolph Letter, On the Federal Constitution (Virginia)
Oct 11, 1787: Cato II (New York)
Oct 12, 1787: Federal Farmer IV (Virginia)
Oct 12, 1787: An Old Whig I (Pennsylvania)
Oct 13, 1787: Federal Farmer V (Virginia)
Oct 16, 1787: Richard Henry Lee to Edmund Randolph (New York)
Oct 17, 1787: A Democratic Federalist (Pennsylvania)
Oct 17, 1787: An Old Whig II (Pennsylvania)
Oct 18, 1787: Brutus I (New York)
Oct 18, 1787: Elbridge Gerry’s Objections (Massachusetts)
Oct 20, 1787: An Old Whig III (Pennsylvania)
Oct 22, 1787: John DeWitt I (Massachusetts)
Oct 24, 1787: Centinel II (Pennsylvania)
Oct 25, 1787: A Republican No. 1 (New York)
Oct 25, 1787: Cato III (New York)
Oct 26,1787: Georgia calls for state convention (Georgia)
Oct 27, 1787: John DeWitt II (Massachusetts)
Oct 27, 1787: An Old Whig IV (Pennsylvania)

November 1787

Nov 1, 1787: An Old Whig V (Pennsylvania)
Nov 1, 1787: Brutus II (New York)
Nov 1, 1788: Cincinnatus No. 1 (New York)
Nov 3, 1788: Elbridge Gerry to the Massachusetts General Court (Massachusetts)
Nov 5, 1787: John DeWitt III (Massachusetts)
Nov 7, 1787: Philadelphiensis I (Pennsylvania)
Nov 8, 1787: Centinel III (Pennsylvania)
Nov 8, 1787: Brutus, Junior (New York)
Nov 8, 1787: Cato IV (New York)
Nov 8, 1787: Cincinnatus No. 2 (New York)
Nov 8, 1787: Federal Farmer: Letters to the Republican (Virginia)
Nov 15, 1787: Brutus III (New York)
Nov 15, 1787: Essay by a Georgian (Georgia)
Nov 21, 1787: George Mason’s Objections (Virginia)
Nov 22, 1787: Brutus on Mason’s Objections (Virginia)
Nov 22, 1787: Cato V (New York)
Nov 22, 1787: Cincinnatus No. 4 (New York)
Nov 23, 1787: Agrippa I (Massachusetts)
Nov 24, 1787: An Old Whig VI (Pennsylvania)
Nov 27, 1787: Agrippa II (Massachusetts)
Nov 28, 1787: Remarks on the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention (Pennsylvania)
Nov 28, 1787: Philadelphiensis II (Pennsylvania)
Nov 28, 1787: An Old Whig VII (Pennsylvania)
Nov 28, 1787: A Federal Republican: A Review of the Constitution (Virginia)
Nov 29, 1787: Brutus IV (New York)
Nov 29, 1787: James McHenry’s Speech to Maryland State House of Delegates (Maryland)
Nov 29, 1787: Luther Martin Speech to Maryland State House of Delegates (Maryland)
Nov 29, 1787: A Countryman III (Connecticut)
Nov 30, 1787: Centinel IV (Pennsylvania)
Nov 30, 1787: Agrippa III (Massachusetts)

December 1787

Dec 1787: John DeWitt IV (Massachusetts)
Dec 3, 1787: Agrippa IV (Massachusetts)
Dec 5, 1787: Philadelphiensis III (Pennsylvania)
Dec 6, 1787: A Countryman IV (Connecticut)
Dec 6, 1787: Z. (Massachusetts)
Dec 6, 1787: Cincinnatus VI (New York)
Dec 11, 1787: Agrippa V (Massachusetts)
Dec 12, 1787: Philadelphiensis IV (Pennsylvania)
Dec 12, 1787: Cato Essay (New York)
Dec 13, 1787: Brutus V (New York)
Dec 13, 1787: Alfred (Pennsylvania)
Dec 14, 1787: Agrippa VI (Massachusetts)
Dec 16, 1787: Cato VI (New York)
Dec 18, 1787: Agrippa VII (Massachusetts)
Dec 18, 1787: The Dissent of the Minority of the Convention of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)
Dec 19, 1787: Philadelphiensis V (Pennsylvania)
Dec 20, 1787: A Countryman V (Connecticut)
Dec 21, 1787: Robert Yates and John Lansing, Reasons of Dissent (New York)
Dec 25, 1787: Centinel VI (Pennsylvania)
Dec 25, 1787: One of the People: Antifederalists Maryland Journal (Maryland)
Dec 25, 1787: Federal Farmer VI (Virginia)
Dec 25, 1787: Agrippa VIII (Massachusetts)
Dec 26, 1787: Philadelphiensis IV (Pennsylvania)
Dec 27, 1787: Centinel VII (Pennsylvania)
Dec 27, 1787: Brutus VI (New York)
Dec 28, 1787: Agrippa IX (Massachusetts)
Dec 28, 1787: Luther Martin: Genuine Information I (Maryland)
Dec 29, 1787: Centinel VIII (Pennsylvania)
Dec 31, 1787: Federal Farmer VII (Virginia)