4. The Formation of National Government

4.1 State Constitutions
The success of the Revolution gave Americans the opportunity to give legal form to their ideals as expressed in the Declaration of Independence. As early as May 10, 1776, Congress had passed a resolution advising the colonies to form new governments. Some of them had already done so, and within a year after the Declaration of Independence, all but three had drawn up constitutions.
The state constitutions had some glaring limitations, particularly by more recent standards. Constitutions established to guarantee people their natural rights did not secure the equality. The colonies south of Pennsylvania excluded their slaves populations from their rights as human beings. Women had no political rights.

4.2 Articles of Confederation
In the course of Revolution, mutual aid had proved effective, and the fear of relinquishing individual authority had lessened to a large degree. That is the reason, why the Articles of Confederation had been adopted in November 1777. the national government lacked the authority and met only when it was necessary. It accede sole control of international relations.
Economic difficulties after the war prompted calls for change. Farmers probably suffered most from the difficulties following the Revolution. A lot of them were in red numbers, they had lost their property, they were imprisoned because of nonfunctioning government. Something must had to be done!

4.3 Ratification of The Constitution and The Bill of Rights
In February 1787 the continental Congress, the legislative body of the republic send delegates to Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. Nobody had expected that the 55 delegates would draft a completely new document – nearly perfect in fact perfect in fact. They were only authorized to amend the Articles and to construct a new charter for a more centralized government. The 55 delegates are called the Founding Fathers, included most of the leading characters of the new nation. They were from all kinds of social sciences such as politics, social studies and other backgrounds of social life. However, once allowed to do one thing, they did a big deal not only in US but also in world’s history.

On September 17, 1787, after 16 weeks of deliberation, the finished Constitution was signed by 39 of the 42 delegates present. The Convention had decided that the Constitution would take effect uppon ratification by conventions in nine of the 13 states. By June 1788 the required nine states ratified the Constitution, but the large states of Virginia and New York had not.

Then a collection of 85 short essays changed the whole situation – it was „ the most instructive treatise we possess on federal government“.
Contemporary historians, jurist, and political scientists have generally agreed that The Federalist is the most important work of political philosophy and pragmatic government ever written in the US. It has been compared to many well-known philosophical works in the world, and it has also inspired other constitutions in the world.

The Federalist Papers were in fact a work of two American scholars Alexander Hamilton, aged 32, and James Madison, aged 36, and what is very interesting is the fact that this young men were from the states New York and Virginia, isn’t it ironic? And of course John jay had contributed with 5 essays too.
The Federalist Papers were written between October 1787 and May 1788, and they had an great influence on the ratification of the Constitution in the State New York.