was a primary concern of the Anti-Federalists during the ratification debates.

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A primary concern of the Anti-Federalists during the ratification debates was the potential for a strong central government to undermine individual liberties and states' rights. They were particularly worried that the Constitution, as proposed, concentrated too much power in the federal government, leading to the possibility of tyranny. Anti-Federalists argued for the inclusion of a Bill of Rights to explicitly safeguard individual freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, as well as protections against arbitrary government actions. They feared that without such protections, citizens' rights would be vulnerable to infringement by a powerful national government.