Learning Goal: I'm working on a law question and need a sample draft to help me learn.
After the Constitution was written, major debates ensued between the Federalists and th
e Anti-
Federalists over proper role, size, and scope of the government. In this assignment, you
will have the opportunity to explore, explain, and analyze this debate. Refer to the signific
ance/role of the Bill of Rights, Madison’s Federalist Paper #10, and the 9th and 10th Ame
ndments (among other things).
What were the major arguments of the Anti-Federalists and the Federalists?
Based upon your course reading, were the Anti-
Federalist or the Federalists more consistent with American political thought?
1. Find an example of Anti-
Federalist thought in current events and find an example of Federalist thought in
current events. Explain how your example represents the perspective you’re desc
ribing
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Anti-Federalist and The Federalists
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It is vital to note that the transition to the U.S. Constitution from the articles of
confederation was not simple. The Articles of Confederation had a unique set of problems, and
addressing these problems was not easy. For example, in the Article of Confederation, it was not
mandatory for the states to contribute money. This is because Congress did not have the power to
coin money, and each state developed its own money. This means the national government could
not manage to pay its debts or funding initiatives. Also, Congress was not able to impose taxes.
Hence, changes were needed.
There were differences in views between Anti-Federalists and Federalists. Led by
Alexander Hamilton, the federalists were more inclined toward the constitution. On the hand, the
antifederalists were more inclined towards the Articles of Confederation. The federalists were
against the bill of rights (Bailey, 2020). The major reason for their stance on this is that they
believed the constitution could sufficiently support the rights of the citizenry. Hamilton and
Madison were against the bill of rights. Despite James Madison rejecting the bill of rights, he
was the one who presented it to congress. The Federalists noted that the best form of government
is where citizens leave decision-making to representatives; the Federalists noted that the
government is corrupt and should not be trusted (Frausto, 2019). Through the constitution, the
federalists believed that the nation would have a strong central government, and through this
government, there would be a strong, unified nation.
On the other hand, antifederalists argued that the central government formed through the
constitution would be like a monarch. The government would do little to protect civil liberties.
They supported state governments, whereby there would be public debates. Additionally, the
citizenry would be involved in policy implementation. The Federalists are in line with modern
political thought, especially when it comes to handling economic and foreign matters. The
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antifederalists noted that the government that would be formed would be powerful, and states
would come second. Through the constitution, a lot of power was taken away from state and
local governments. As seen in modern times, the national government is powerful compared with
the state governments. Finally, the bill of rights was made possible through the antifederalists.
Through it, Americans are guaranteed their rights, and the government protects them. However,
federalists took the day, and some of the antifederalist ideas catered to the needs of the citizenry.
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References
Bailey, T. (2020). The US Constitution: Federalists v. Anti-
Federalists. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/GLI_Feds%20v%20Antifed
s.pdf
Frausto, O. (2019). Federalist and Anti-Federalist: Two Divergent Concepts of Politics. Studia
Philosophica Wratislaviensia, 14(1), 129-143. DOI:10.19195/1895-8001.14.1.9
