ss.8.CG.1.10_Federalists and Anti-Federalists (Assessment #s)

What reason did Anti-Federalists give for demanding inclusion of a

bill of rights before ratifying the Constitution?

• A list of rights would 

  educate people in the 

  states.

• A list of rights would 

  ensure the protection of people at the national 

  level.

• The state governments had already listed rights that their citizens expected.

• The national government had already listed some rights, but they wanted more.

Answer explanation

Anti-Federalists wanted a clear list of protections against government action, not just a promise of governmental safeguards and limitations in the Constitution itself. The English Bill of Rights enabled colonists to push back against the King’s abuse of power and 

Anti-Federalists wanted similar protections amidst fears that the newly formed government could strengthen and resemble the previous rule.

A is Incorrect- Anti-Federalists asked for a list of rights to be explicitly listed in order to ensure protection from government action. It was less about educating people and more about ensuring written protections were clear and codified.

C is Incorrect- State-level protections of rights did not necessarily play a role in the arguments over ratifying the U.S. Constitution. In addition, it would not be until the 14th Amendment that a national bill of rights would be applicable at the state level.

D is Incorrect- While the U.S. Constitution had governmental safeguards and limitations such as separation of powers and checks and balances, it did not originally have a list of individual protections against government actions.

What was the Anti-Federalists’ greatest concern about ratifying the U.S. Constitution?

• the lack of a federal court system

• the lack of legislative veto power

• the lack of a strong military 

• the lack of a bill of rights 

Answer explanation

Among the Anti-Federalists’ greatest concerns about ratifying the U.S. Constitution was that it lacked an enumerated list of rights.

A is Incorrect- The proposed U.S. Constitution included a federal court system.

B is Incorrect- The Anti-Federalists’ greatest concern about ratifying the U.S. Constitution was the lack of an enumerated list of rights.

C is Incorrect- The U.S. Constitution included safeguards for creating a strong military (commander-in-chief power for the president, the power to raise and support armies and navies given to Congress).

Which statement describes the Anti-Federalists' viewpoint regarding the U.S. Constitution?

• “…there must be 

  interwoven, in the frame of the government, a general power of taxation, in one shape or another.”

• “But the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property.”

• “…that government ought to be clothed with all the powers requisite to 

  complete execution of its trust.”

• “All human authority, 

  however organized, must have confined limits…”

Answer explanation

The Anti-Federalist Papers argued against a strong central government and were concerned about the lack of a bill of rights.

A is Incorrect – The Anti-Federalists did not support centralized taxation.

B is Incorrect – This describes a concern expressed in the Federalist Papers that justified support for the proposed U.S. Constitution.

C is Incorrect – This quote from the Federalist Papers suggests support for a strong and vigorous central government.

This table shows views about government. 

What title completes this table?

• Patriots vs. Loyalists 

• Federalists vs. 

  Anti-Federalists

• New Jersey Plan vs. 

  Virginia Plan

• Articles of Confederation vs. U.S. Constitution

Answer explanation

The views represented in the table belong to the Federalists on the left and the Anti-Federalists on the right.

A is Incorrect-The views of the Patriots and Loyalists are not presented in the table; the Patriots wanted the colonies to become independent while the Loyalists supported the British government.

C is Incorrect- The New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan were two plans that focused on how Congress should be designed.

D is Incorrect- The Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution are two documents establishing government structures. The table represents viewpoints and not documents establishing governments.

Which option reflects a long-term consequence of the debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists?

• Policies continue to reflect the influence of factions.

• Government decisions are put through judicial review.

• The Supreme Court 

  continues addressing issues relating to states’ rights.

• Over 10,000 constitutional amendments have been introduced, although only 27 amendments have been ratified.

Answer explanation

The U.S. Supreme Court continues interpreting the U.S. Constitution focusing on conflicts between the national and state governments continues to be an issue.

A is Incorrect- Both Federalists and Anti-Federalists had concerns about factions.

B is Incorrect- Judicial review was not established until Marbury v. Madison (1803), decided a few years after ratification of the U.S. Constitution and was not debated by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

D is Incorrect- The amendment process in the U.S. Constitution made the process easier than amendments under the Articles of Confederation although the low ratification rate is unrelated to the long term outcome of the debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

This statement is from an essay published in 1787. 

It is impossible for one code of laws to suit Georgia and Massachusetts.

Which view does this statement reflect?

• support for Federalists 

• support for Anti-Federalists 

• support of Shays’s Rebellion

• support of the Great 

  Compromise

Answer explanation

The Anti-Federalists supported the idea that different states have different views about how to best serve their residents.

A is Incorrect-Federalist views supported the concept of the national government treating each state in the same way.

C is Incorrect-Shays’s Rebellion took place in one state (Massachusetts) and was not caused by an issue across several states.

D is Incorrect- The Great Compromise focused on designing the legislative branch in the U.S. Constitution.

This is a passage from Anti-Federalist Paper #84 written by Brutus. 

The most important article in any constitution may …be repealed, even without a legislative act. Ought not a government vested with such extensive and indefinite authority to have been restricted by a declaration of rights? It certainly ought. 

Based on this passage, why did the Anti-Federalists support the inclusion of a bill of rights?

• to give unlimited powers to the national government

• to limit the power of the national government

• to give unlimited powers to the people

• to limit protections of the people

Answer explanation

The purpose of a bill of rights is to limit the power of the national government.

A is Incorrect- The Bill of Rights does not grant more power to the national government; instead, it specifically limits the powers of the national government.

C is Incorrect- A bill or rights protects the people but these protections are not unlimited.

D is Incorrect- The Bill of Rights was designed to limit the power of the national government, which provides more protection for the people and more powers for the states.

Which statement supports the Anti-Federalists in the struggle over ratification of the U.S. Constitution?

• The Constitution should limit state government.

• The Constitution should protect fundamental rights.

• The Constitution should create a strong national government.

• The Constitution should prevent the election of 

  amateur politicians.

Answer explanation

The Anti-Federalists supported an enumerated bill of rights to be included in the U.S. Constitution because they feared that a strong national government would violate individual freedoms.

A is Incorrect- The Anti-Federalists argued for strong state governments.

C is Incorrect- The Anti-Federalists opposed a strong national government and supported strong state governments; the Federalists supported a strong national government.

D is Incorrect- Neither the Anti-Federalists nor the Federalists debated the election of amateur politicians during the struggle over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

This passage is from Anti-Federalist Paper #84, written by Brutus. 

The Constitution proposed to your acceptance is designed, not for yourselves alone, but for generations yet unborn. The principles, therefore, upon which the social compact is founded, ought to have been clearly and precisely stated, and the most express and full declaration of rights to have been made. But on this subject there is almost an entire silence. 

Based on this passage, with which statement regarding ratification of the U.S. Constitution would the author agree?

• The Constitution should limit local government.

• The Constitution should protect individual rights.

• The Constitution should create a strong national government.

• The Constitution should protect the rights of the individual states.

Answer explanation

The Anti-Federalists supported an enumerated bill of rights to be included in the U.S. Constitution because they feared that a strong national government would violate individual freedoms.

A is Incorrect- The Anti-Federalists argued for strong state/local governments.

C is Incorrect- The Anti-Federalists opposed a strong national government and supported strong state governments; the Federalists supported a strong national government.

D is Incorrect- While the Anti-Federalists did argue for stronger state governments, this passage is about ensuring protection of individual citizen freedoms with the inclusion of an enumerated bill of rights.

This passage was written by James Madison in 1787. 

Extend the sphere, and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probable that

a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens;… 

Source: Federalist Paper #10 

Based on this passage, what change in modern political society would Madison support?

• expanding the size of the Cabinet

• expanding the size of the Electoral College

• expanding the number of candidates in campaigns

• expanding the role of 

  special interest groups in campaigns

Answer explanation

“Extend the sphere” means that there are more opportunities for political parties and interest groups to function in government, such as across levels of government and across branches of government.

A is Incorrect- The purpose of the Cabinet is to enforce the laws and not to represent specific parties and interests.

B is Incorrect- The purpose of the Electoral College is to elect the president.

C is Incorrect- The number of candidates in campaigns does not reflect expanding parties and interests; the number of candidates in campaigns may increase, although there remain two major political parties (Democrats, Republicans) within which those candidates would compete.