Which of the following did the Anti-Federalists oppose?

including a bill of rights
ratifying the Constitution
publishing the Federalist Papers
granting states’ rights in the Constitution

1 answer

The Anti-Federalists primarily opposed ratifying the Constitution. They were concerned that the proposed Constitution would create a strong central government that could threaten individual liberties and states' rights. A bill of rights was one of their key demands, as they believed it was necessary to protect individual freedoms.

To clarify the other options:

  • Including a bill of rights: Anti-Federalists favored the inclusion of a bill of rights.
  • Publishing the Federalist Papers: Anti-Federalists did not oppose this directly, but the Federalist Papers were written to promote the Constitution, which they opposed.
  • Granting states’ rights in the Constitution: They advocated for preserving states' rights, so they opposed measures that would centralize power in the federal government.

In summary, the strongest opposition was to ratifying the Constitution itself.