Anti-Federalists
- Anti-Federalist Beliefs
- The opponents of the ratification of the Constitution were called the Anti-Federalists
- They were afraid that with strong central government, a few men would hold all of the power. This caused many farmers, and debtors to be Anti-Federalists.
- Anti-Federalists wanted a more decentralized government, like the one they had under the Articles of Confederation. They feared that a strong central government would also keep taking more and more power, and become corrupt.
- Many people also believed that since the country was so large, a central republican government could not work with so many opposing interests, and different ideas.
- Anti-Federalist Leaders
- Richard Henry Lee was one of the many well known Anti-Federalists. He was not completely confident about the democratic system.
- Patrick Henry was also an opponent of the Constitution. He saw it as a step towards monarchy, and did not like the "necessary and proper" clause because it did not seem to have any obvious restrictions to what could be passed.