2. Who are these groups?
After the constitution was created, it needed to be
RATIFIED (approved).
It became obvious that there were two ways of thinking
about the Constitution. Some were for it and some had
problems with it.
We call these two groups the Federalists and the AntiFederalists.
Lets look at what they believed…
3. View of the Federal
Government
Federalists
Believed there needed
to be a strong, federal
government.
Anti-Federalists
Were afraid of a federal
government becoming
too powerful.
Wanted to keep most
power with the states.
4. View of the 3 branches
Federalists
Believed the three
branches should have
equal power.
Anti-Federalists
Believed that the
legislative branch should
have more power than
the executive and the
courts.
5. View of who should lead the
government
Federalists
Wanted a strong
president or executive
to lead the country.
Anti-Federalists
Were afraid a president
would become like a
king.
Wanted to not have a
strong executive.
6. View of the Articles of
Confederation
Federalists
Believed the Articles
needed to be
completely revised.
Believed that the
country functioned
better as a united
country.
Anti-Federalists
Wanted to keep the
structure of a loose
union of independent
states.
Wanted only minor
changes in the articles.
7. Ideas about a Bill of Rights
Federalists
Didn’t think a bill of
rights was necessary.
Were afraid if you
started listing rights
people would think
those were the only
rights you had.
Anti-Federalists
Believed a Bill of Rights
was necessary to protect
the people from the
government.
9. Writings – There are examples
of these in the blue textbook.
Federalists
Wrote the Federalist
Papers…a collection of
essays designed to
convince people to
support ratification.
Anti-Federalists
Also wrote essays
