Robert+Yates+(Brutus)+-+F08

Robert Yates (Brutus) Anti-Federalist

Robert Yates represents the state of New York. This state is a New England state, and part of the New England Confederation, which contains rocky soil and a cooler climate which is not well for growing crops. Their main economic products and goods were shipbuilding and trading of fish and furs. They had a good coast for trading with the Hudson Bay and Boston harbor nearby. Robert Yates knew that the power of trade was an important thing to have. New York also had a strong population with the people there living long lives. The population of New York was around 80 thousand or more. This may impact Robert Yates because it shows that there will be lots of people who need to be represented in New York. The people of New York were mainly Protestants who were religious. They had a strong democracy in the New England states with the local town meetings. This means that Robert Yates probably is used to the way a true direct democracy works and wants a strong democracy for the Constitution. Robert Yates had studied law in his life and became a lawyer. He held the position as a congressman of the New York Congress. He also, was a member of the Supreme Court of New York and also held the position of Supreme Justice. He was also a recorder for Albany. His social background was that he was the oldest child of a family in New York, which means that he probably inherited all the family had to leave behind. This led him to receive a good education in law. He is known for his patriotic contributions in the revolution such as being on the New York Committee of correspondence and someone who was against the Stamp Act. His economic background started out with him being the oldest son of a merchant, but as a lawyer, Congressman, and Supreme Justice of New York he had a very good income. He was probably of the higher class with all his positions. He wrote many articles for the anti-federalist side under some different names. One in particular was Brutus. In these papers he writes of his opinions as to why the Constitution was dangerous and should not be ratified. Robert Yates was a member of the Constitutional Convention. His contribution at the convention was that he was against the Constitution. He did not like the way the Constitution was giving a lot of power to a centralized government and fought against it. He thought that with such a strong central government who was allowed to create laws that nullified any opposing state laws, the state government would then seize to exist. The Constitution does not limit the power of the central government to tax and allowed the government to make necessary and proper laws. Robert Yates thought that this was a big loophole for tyranny. Yates also saw that with the way Congress was set up that the majority would likely win since they have more votes. He thought that it would be unlikely for Congress to make a law that benefited all of the U.S. The power of a central government should not be decided by a group of people so far away that they do not understand the needs of all the people. He also wasn't keen on the idea of losing the Confederacy and forming a Federation. He saw that in many republics eventually they all tear down the freedoms of the people. He also said that the convention had no authority to make a new government. He then left the Convention early because he did not accept the way the Constitution was shaping out. At the New York ratifying convention for the Constitution he was an anti-federalist delegate who was against the ratifying of the Constitution. Robert Yates was friends with John Lansing, who both left early at the Constitutional Convention because they didn't agree with the Constitution. He was also friends with George Clinton, Governor of New York, as well, who he agreed with in the ideas of what the Constitution really was. Another reference that Robert Yates could have is Patrick Henry who was a fellow anti-federalist, and also wrote some anti-federalist papers. Patrick Henry gave out speeches and tried to persuade that ratifying the Constitution was not what America needed.

Work Cited And Links ( There are indents in this work cited it just doesn't show up.)

http://www.famousamericans.net/robertyates/ http://www.americanrevolution.com/RobertYates.htm http://www.constitution.org/afp/brutus00.htm http://www.usahistory.info/colonies/New-York.html http://www.biography-center.com/biographies/4239-Yates_Robert.html http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/y/ryates.html

""Brutus"" Constitution Society. 2005. 17 Sept. 2008 .

Dudley, William, ed. The Creation of the Constitution : Opposing Viewpoints. New York: Greenhaven P, Incorporated, 1995.

"The Founding Fathers." The American Revolution. 2005. 17 Sept. 2008 .

Wilson, James G., John Fiske, and Stanley L. Klos. "Robert Yates." Virtual American Biographies. 2000. 17 Sept. 2008 .

Witten, Chris. "New York." History of the USA. 2007. 17 Sept. 2008 .

Yates Robert." Biography Center. 2008. 17 Sept. 2008 .

Bielinski, Stefan. "Robert Yates." The People of Colonial Albany Live Here. 30 Mar. 2005. 17 Sept. 2008 .