Anti-Federalists Arguments Flash Cards Government

-Lacks Bill of Rights to protect individual rights of the people Explanations: -Lacks Bill of Rights to protect individual rights of the people -National government undermines people’s right Arg: Fear of Tyranny/ No Bill of Rights

Arg: National Government was too Powerful/ Limited National Government Explanations: -New powers → had power to collect unpopular taxes from the people -Wanted to limit the national government

Argument: Anti-Supremacy Clause Explanations: -Supremacy Clause: if conflict arose b/w federal and state governments, federal law would win out -wanted to get rid of this clause

Argument: Anti “Necessary and Proper” Clause Explanations: -Elastic Clause: gave Congress power to make and pass any laws they deemed “necessary and proper.” -Feared National gov would use this to pass any taxes → gave them too much power in Congress

Argument: The Republic is too Vast to Govern Explanation: -There are too many diverse interests to govern by one body

Argument: Fear of the Chief Executive Explanations: -Anti-Feds believed chief Executive (Pres.) could become a monarch -Feds wanted President to hold office for life and have absolute veto power→ No for Anti-Feds

Argument: Anti- Slavery Explanations: -Anti-Feds wanted no slavery clauses in the Constitution -They wanted to abolish slavery→ they said it violated the spirit of the American Revolution Caveat: #2 is a generalization! Some Federalists wanted to abolish slavery and some Anti-Federalists owned slaves. Not all members in each party were unified in their personal interests.