Federalists vs Anti-Federalists
There are distinct differences in the views and opinions of federalists and anti-federalists when it comes to a federal government. In July 1783, when America broke away from the rule of Great Britain, the question was how to develop a new system of governance to protect the rights of the people while also maintaining law and order. This led to the formation of two groups: federalists, who supported a strong central government, and anti-federalists, who believed a strong center would usurp the rights of the member states.
Key Takeaways
- Federalists wanted a strong central government and believed it would be helpful in maintaining peace and order in the country.
- Anti-federalists favored smaller states and communities with divergent views to make passing resolutions more difficult and to make it easier to arrive at a consensus for the common good of the people.
- The anti-federalists wanted the inclusion of a Bill of Rights for the people, fearing that the constitution proposed by the federalists would not protect individual rights. This eventually led to the inclusion of the Bill of Rights in the constitution, which gained the support of the anti-federalists to ratify the American constitution.
