Our course included an extended debate set in the June 1788 Virginia Ratifying Convention. Each student was assigned a delegate identity, a team (pro-ratification or anti-ratification), and a topic.
Team readings: Each team received a set of readings:
- Pro-ratification group:
- Letter from “A Freeholder,” April 23, 1788.
- Letters from “Cassius.”
- Anti-ratification group:
- George Mason, “Objections to the Constitution.”
- Richard Henry Lee to Edmund Randolph, Oct. 16, 1787.
Individual readings: In addition, based on a student’s topic and team, he or she was assigned either a Federalist essay (for the pro-ratification team) or an anti-Federalist essay (for the anti-ratification team). Here are the assigned readings:
Power of central government
- Federalist 9 / John DeWitt 1
Bill of Rights
- Federalist 84 / Centinel 1
States’ powers
- Federalist 45 / Brutus 1
The House of Representatives
- Federalist 52 / Brutus 4
The Senate:
- Federalist 62 / Brutus 16
Judiciary:
- Federalist 78 / Brutus 11
The Executive
- Federalist 67 / Cato 4
Taxation
- Federalist 30 / Brutus 6
Standing armies
- Federalist 24 / Brutus 10
Meetings: In the days leading up to the debate, students discussed their readings and planned a strategy with their teams. In addition, they met with their counterpart from the other team and discussed the differences between their points of view.
