Is it a Federalist or an Anti-Federalist?

The Constitution provides protections for the

state governments by specifically reserving

certain powers for the states. This will

prevent the states from being destroyed by

the national government.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

The Constitution gives the national

government too much power at the expense

of the state governments, such as the power

to tax citizens and raising and keeping an

army during peacetime.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

The national government will have greater

power than it did under the Articles of

Confederation. But its powers are limited to

solving problems that face the entire nation,

such as trade and defense.

• Anti Federalist

• Federalist

The supremacy clause in the Constitution

means all the national laws are superior to

laws made by the state governments. It will

be only a matter of time until state

governments are destroyed.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

A strong executive branch is necessary so the

national government can fulfill its

responsibilities. Congress and the Supreme

Court have checks on the use of power by

the executive branch. The executive branch

cannot become a monarchy.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

The Constitution gives too much power to

the executive branch of the national

government. The executive branch will soon

become a monarchy.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

The powers of the national government are

separated and balanced among the three

branches. No one branch can dominate the

others. These systems—separation of

powers, and checks and balances—make it

impossible for any one person or group to

take complete control of the government.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

Free government requires the active

participation of the people. The national

government will be located far from where

most people live. As a result, the only way

the government will be able to rule is with

military force. The result will be tyranny.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

A bill of rights is not needed. The

Constitution is the ultimate protection for

the people’s rights and the people the

ultimate sovereigns. The Constitution does

not give the government the power to take

away people’s rights. It gives the government

only a limited power to do certain things.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist

The Constitution does not include a bill of

rights. A bill of rights is necessary to protect

people against the power of the national

government. Since these freedoms of

religion, speech, press, assembly, and

petition are not in the Constitution, the

government is free to violate them.

• Federalist

• Anti Federalist