Malcolm Rivera
The Anti-Federalists were the main group opposed to ratifying the 1787 U.S. Constitution. They included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. They were concerned that the new national government would be too powerful and threaten individual liberties. They favoured strong state governments, a weak central government, the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties. Their opposition was an important factor leading to the adoption of the First Amendment and the other nine amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Anti-Federalists |
| Supporters | Small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers |
| Political Views | Strong state governments, weak central government, direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties |
| Concerns | Too much power invested in the national government at the expense of states |
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What You'll Learn
The Anti-Federalists
Through September and October, various Anti-Federalists published essays under pseudonyms like Brutus, Cato, and the Federal Farmer in New York newspapers critiquing the Constitution. Although they did not coordinate their efforts, a coherent set of principles about government and opposition to the proposed Constitution emerged.
The main opposition to the Federalists came from Anti-Federalists in large and powerful states, including Massachusetts, New York, and Virginia. The Anti-Federalists were also mounting an effective opposition in essays and debates. Some demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government. During the debate in Massachusetts, opposition forced the Federalists to promise to consider amendments protecting the liberties of the people after the Constitution was ratified as written.
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Patrick Henry
Henry's opposition to the ratification of the Constitution was based on his belief in strong state governments and a weak central government. He favoured the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties.
Henry was not alone in his opposition to the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. They mounted an effective opposition through essays and debates, demanding prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government.
During the debate in Massachusetts, for example, the opposition forced the Federalists to promise to consider amendments protecting the liberties of the people after the Constitution was ratified as written. The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution was a powerful force in the origin of the Bill of Rights to protect Americans' civil liberties. Their concerns centred on too much power being invested in the national government at the expense of the states.
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Small farmers and landowners
The Anti-Federalists opposed ratifying the Constitution. They included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers and labourers. They wanted strong state governments, a weak central government, the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties.
The Anti-Federalists published essays under pseudonyms like Brutus, Cato, and the Federal Farmer in New York newspapers critiquing the Constitution. They argued that the states would lose their sovereignty in a Union of “we the people” instead of “we the states”. They believed that a powerful national government would violate natural rights and civil liberties, destroying “the rights of conscience, trial by jury, liberty of the press . . . all pretentions to human rights and privileges”.
The small farmers and landowners who opposed ratifying the Constitution were part of a larger movement of Anti-Federalists who mounted an effective opposition through essays and debates. They demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government. Their opposition was an important factor leading to the adoption of the First Amendment and the other nine amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.
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Shopkeepers and labourers
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution. They included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. They were chiefly concerned with too much power being invested in the national government at the expense of the states. They feared that a powerful national government would threaten individual liberties, given the absence of a bill of rights.
The Anti-Federalists published essays under pseudonyms like Brutus, Cato, and the Federal Farmer in New York newspapers critiquing the Constitution. They argued that the states would lose their sovereignty in a Union of “we the people” instead of “we the states”. They demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government.
The opposition of the Anti-Federalists was an important factor leading to the adoption of the First Amendment and the other nine amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.
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The Federal Farmer
The Anti-Federalists were chiefly concerned with too much power invested in the national government at the expense of states. They opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution because they feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus threaten individual liberties, given the absence of a bill of rights. Their opposition was an important factor leading to the adoption of the First Amendment and the other nine amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.
The Anti-Federalists included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. When it came to national politics, they favoured strong state governments, a weak central government, the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties.
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Frequently asked questions
The Anti-Federalists were those who opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution. They included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. They were chiefly concerned with too much power being invested in the national government at the expense of the states.
The Anti-Federalists feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus threaten individual liberties, given the absence of a bill of rights. They favoured strong state governments, a weak central government, the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties.
The Anti-Federalists mounted an effective opposition in essays and debates. Some demanded prior amendments to be sent to a second convention before they would accept the new government. They also published essays under pseudonyms like Brutus, Cato, and the Federal Farmer in New York newspapers critiquing the Constitution.
