Question

According to Article VII, the Constitution would go into effect when nine states ratified it. A fierce debate raged for months between the Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. What arguments did each group present? Fill in the chart below with a brief description of the main arguments.

Answer 1

Here are the arguments for both sides:

1) Federalists:
-- Felt that the Constitution was necessary, as it gave the federal government more power than the Articles of Confederation.
--Having a weak federal government was a bad idea, as this concept did not work well when the Articles of Confederation were implemented.
-- Having no executive branch (president) made it difficult to develop a clear sense of direction for the nation. Using the new constitution would fix this problem.

2) Anti-Federalist:
-- Believed that the federal government had too much power.
-- Anti-federalists believed that a strong federal government could result in corruption.
--Anti-federalists also feared the federal government would not consider the needs/wants of the citizens, as this is what the British government did right before America declared their independence.