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Federalist 84 Explained | What are Some Arguments Against the Bill of Rights?

Did you know the Bill of Rights was not part of the original design of the Constitution and that many objected to it? In today's Close Read, Kirk dives into the arguments against a Bill of Rights in Federalist 84. Why did Publius believe that the Bill of Rights was unneeded and also could be dangerous?

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Federalist Papers

In order to help convince their fellow Americans of their view that the Constitution would not threaten freedom, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay teamed up in 1788 to write a series of essays in defense of the Constitution. The essays, which appeared in newspapers addressed to the people of the state of New York, are known as the Federalist Papers. They are regarded as one of the most authoritative sources on the meaning of the Constitution, including constitutional principles such as checks and balances, federalism, and separation of powers.