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Robert Yates

Background: Robert Yates was born on January 27, 1738 in Schenectady, NY to Joseph and Maria Yates. While growing up, he studied law with William Livingston. He later on became a judge and a politician for the state of new york.

State: New York

Stance/Position: Anti-Federalist

Political Experience: He served in the State Constitutional Convention for New York (1776-1777), he was a New York Supreme Court Judge from 1777-1798, and he was in the New York Provincial Congress from 1775 to 1776. He was also in the first and third committee of Representation.

Role in Constitutional Convention: Yates was one of the leading Anti-Federalists of his time. Yates had believed that they were going to only ratify the Articles, no create a whole other document. Yates was not open to anything that would diminish the sovereignty of the states. On the day his committee was suppose to present their report, he and John Lansing left the convention. They sent a joint letter to Governor George Clinton of New York stating why they left the convention early. They said that the New York legislature strictly kept them from doing anything other than giving suggestions for ratifying the constitution. They also warned against the consequences that would arise from a centralized government. Yates was completely opposed to ratifying the constitution, and continued to attack it through letters signed by “Brutus”.

Work Cited:

"Robert Yates." //New York State Museum, Albany, New York//. Web. 09 Feb. 2012. [].

"Biographies of Robert Yates Politicians." //Biography-center indexes 20181 biographies !//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. [].

"Delegates to the Constitutional Convention:Robert Yates." //TeachingAmericanHistory.org -- Free Seminars and Summer Institutes for Social Studies Teachers//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. <http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention