There were several reasons that the Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the Constitution. The most predominate reasons being are no defined state or citizens rights, the central government having too much power, non-accurate representation and slaves were not counted as part of the population. State rights are what the Anti-federalists wanted the most, since they believed that each state would be able to govern themselves as they see fit. They saw the federal government as something unnecessary, and that it would just reduce the amount of rights that each of the states could have. It took the Bill of Rights' tenth amendment, unlisted rights are subject to be defined by the states, to get most anti-federalists to come to an agreement on the Constitution. Citizens rights was another issue that Anti-federalists saw with the current constitution. There were no clear definitions of what a citizen could and could-not do, and that brought fear to the anti-federalist population who thought that all of their possessions, as well as their lifes, could be …show more content…
Having a small representation would almost make anything that the anti-federalists did in congress, as well as any form of government, meaningless as the federalist would be able to oppose it with their overwhelming majority. The federalists compromised the equal representation issue with the addition of a two-part congressional system with one house based on population and one house based on equal representation. Later in time, they reached the 3/5th compromise that counted slaves as three-fifths of a person so that the anti-federalist states populations could increase. Overall tensions and other unfair compromises can be thought to directly contribute to the Civil
Although independence was just won, the country still needed protection from other hostile countries. Besides protecting the country from foreign enemies, the Anti-Federalists wanted to protect the American people from its own government. In fact, the “Anti-Federalists were especially concerned with preserving for ordinary citizens the ability to participate in government” (Amar). After all, the Revolutionary War was fought in order to gain freedom from oppression. However, by giving all of the power to the states, the nation would be divided. A nation divided would not stand forever because it would be limited against foreign enemies. While the Anti-Federalists had the right idea in mind, not all possibilities were thought of.
Those who opposed the centralization of government were the Anti-Federalists, they knew that the system would eventually pose a threat to the rights of the people. There were several issues that were cause for concern to the Anti-Federalists when the Constitution was proposed. These issues were the sole power of taxation, the lack of protection of freedoms, the lack of representation, the dissolving of the state’s powers, and above
The Anti-Federalists feared a strong central government because it might become corrupt and they would live under tyranny again just like under the British. The Anti-Federalists included prominent political leaders such as James Winthrop, Patrick Henry, and George Mason. They wanted to limit government power and saw that the Constitution made the central government too strong. Without a Bill of Rights to include protection for individual liberties, they felt at risk for
They wanted power in the state government rather than the central government and believed a central government would have the potential to take unlimited power. Richard Henry Lee wrote the proposed Constitution "appears to be a plan retaining some federal features, but to be the first important step, and to aim strongly, to one consolidated government of the United States." By this quote Richard Henry Lee meant that eventually the central government could destroy the state governments. Anti-federalists favored the Articles of Confederation and believed the Constitution would lead to monarchy. Antifederalist were afraid the Constitution would affect our freedom and liberties. They thought there were loopholes in the Constitution that could lead to a wealthy and powerful group taking over. Richard Henry Lee wrote, "All wise and prudent people, in forming constitutions, have drawn the line, and carefully described the powers parted with and the powers reserved." He believes it needs to be clearly written in the constitution about what powers the government has and doesn’t
The Anti-Federalists were people who opposed the ratification of the Constitution. These people were against the development of a strong federal government. These people were afraid that a strong central government would infringe on their personal liberties, citing that it would be just like going back to Great Britain. They would rather place more power in the hands of their state and local governments. The Anti-Federalists stayed opposed to the Constitution until inclusion of the Bill of Rights. Supporters of this movement often resided largely in rural, less developed areas. Anti-Federalists
The Anti-Federalist: wanted more power at the state level than the federal, thought the lack of a Bill of Rights was a threat to liberties, and they did not support the Constitution.
The anti-federalists were mostly farmers and workers. They were also opposed to a strong national government. They believed the original US Constitution made the national government too strong and took too much control over the individual states. They thought the national government should have minimal control. Patrick Henry was a famous anti-federalist.
The anti-federalists were groups of various folks that were conflicting the endorsement of the original idea of federal constitution in 1787. The anti-federalists were united by their terrors of a forceful and possibly
Federalists desired to have a government for the people. They were trusted in a strong central government, that was ran by the government. It was detached by branches. They wanted the Constitution to be authorized pronto. The Anti-federalists wanted to remain being a monarchy, causing tension between the citizens and the government in the United States.
The Federalists wanted to completely recreate a government with writing the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists would have rather just amended the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-Federalists wanted a small central government, and they believed the Constitution went against that ideal. The Anti-Federalists were correct about that point; the Federalists wanted a large central government. The Federalists did give the government limited powers though. They also separated the powers by creating three separate branches: the judicial, the legislative, and the executive. The Federalists also introduced a system of checks and balances. Despite the safeguards the Federalists outlined, the Anti-Federalists still thought the Constitution gave the government too much power and left the states with not enough power. They also argued that a large government would be too remote to represent and protect the average citizen. Some Anti-Federalists even believed that ratification of the Articles of Confederation was illegal because unanimous consent was required to amend the
When it comes to anti-federalist they felt like the government should be left up to the states and didn’t want strong central government didn’t want national government to rule over everything. Federalist wanted strong central government to be able to keep states at peace and not be able to fight against each other such like the civil war.
The Federalists believed in a powerful central government with two houses that include an executive and judiciary branch that would form a new Union. The house members would be based on the population of the state it was representing (7.9). Antifederalists were in opposition of increased powers of a central government that they believed would lead to tyranny (7.10). The Anti-Federalists also felt that there were too few representatives in the legislative branch to represent the people fairly (7.11). The Federalists proposed that the government was republican, a representation of the people through a legislative branch (7.11). Antifederalists were in opposition of increased powers of a central government that they believed would lead to tyranny (7.10). Anti-Federalists suggested that the government was in the hands of too few people so the majority’s liberties and properties will be in jeopardy. They also felt that a strong executive branch would be an absolute power for the president (7.11). Federalists came mainly came from cities along the Atlantic coast
Federalists were the people who wanted a stronger national government along with the ratification of the constitution. They believed it would help manage the dept that was caused by the American revolution. Opposite to that an Anti-Federalists were the people who opposed a strong national government and the ratification of the constitution. Instead they wanted the power to stay within the hands of the state and local governments.
Anti-Federalist believed with the creation of the constitution, there was too much power given to one person, and not enough rights given to the citizens. The Constitution also lacked a bill of rights which did not sit
The Anti-federalist simply wanted the states to have the control. They wanted the states to have the power, because they thought that it would ensure their naturals rights and not to have them taken advantage f again like before with King George the III. Their only goals was to keep their natural rights. In Foreign Wars, Civil Wars and Indian Wars- Three Bugbears published in The Anti-federalist Papers the authors