Asked by B

Read the following excerpt from Federalist #3 by John Jay.

The number of wars which have happened or will happen in the world will always be found to be in proportion to the number and weight of the causes, whether REAL or PRETENDED, which PROVOKE or INVITE them. If this remark be just, it becomes useful to inquire whether so many JUST causes of war are likely to be given by UNITED AMERICA as by DISUNITED America; for if it should turn out that United America will probably give the fewest, then it will follow that in this respect the Union tends most to preserve the people in a state of peace with other nations.

What might John Jay say is a potential danger associated with not ratifying the Constitution?

Separate states are less likely to be economically prosperous.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Not exactly. In this passage Jay’s concern is about security and peace, not primarily economic prosperity. He argues that disunited (separate) states will create more “causes” or pretexts for war—through inconsistent diplomacy, rivalry, and weakness—and therefore are more likely to be drawn into conflicts. So the danger he’s highlighting is an increased likelihood of war and foreign entanglement if the Constitution is not ratified (though war would of course also harm prosperity).