Brutus No. 1 (1787)
Definition
A series of essays written by Robert Yates under pseudonym 'Brutus' arguing against ratification of U.S. Constitution due to concerns about concentration of power in national government.
Analogy
Imagine you're deciding whether or not to join a new club at school but you're worried it might take up too much time and limit your freedom for other activities. That's similar to Brutus No. 1's argument - he was concerned that joining this 'new club' (the proposed Constitution) would give too much power away and limit state sovereignty.
Related terms
Federalist Papers: A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison promoting ratification of U.S. Constitution.
Anti-Federalists: Those who opposed ratification of U.S. Constitution because they feared strong central government would threaten individual liberties and states' rights.
Ratification Debate: The intense public debate over whether or not to approve the U.S. Constitution, which took place in 1787-1788.
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