Content Statement 6 Formative

The Bill of Rights was adopted to address Anti-Federalist concerns about the US Constitution. One of the amendments from the Bill of Rights is in the following quote. "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed." What was an Anti-Federalist concern about the US Constitution that was addressed by this amendment?

• The Constitution would reduce the power of the federal government.
• The Constitution failed to give powers to the executive branch.
• The Constitution failed to adequately protect the civil liberties of individuals.
• The Constitution would produce state courts that were more powerful than federal courts.

Which statement summarizes the original Federalist position on the Bill of Rights?

• Additional amendments were needed, given the lack of individual freedoms and liberties in the Constitution.
• Adopting the Bill of Rights would be too risky and cause the Constitution to not be ratified.
• The Bill of Rights should be adopted because national sovereignty is most important.
• No more amendments were needed, as the Constitution already had enough protections against excessive government.

Prior to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788, Federalists and Anti-Federalists debated how well the proposed constitution upheld the principles of government that would later become important in the Nullification Crisis in South Carolina. Based on their arguments during the ratification debate, which statement describes what the Anti-Federalists would have thought about the Force Bill?

• Anti-Federalist would have sided with South Carolina because they supported the principle of absolute power.
• Anti-Federalist would have sided with South Carolina because they opposed having and overly powerful federal government.

Who would have said this: "The Supremacy Clause places too much power in the national government."

• Federalist
• Anti-Federalist

Who would have said this: "The inclusion of the Bill of Rights is necessary to protect against government intrusion."

• Federalist
• Anti-Federalist

Which concept was at the center of the Anti-Federalist position as expressed in the "Anti-Federalist Papers?"

• standing army
• limited government
• checks and balances
• strong central government

Please read the quote below and answer the question. "The Congress shall have power....to make laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof." Why did the Federalists want to include this clause in the Constitution?

• to protect the individual liberties of all citizens.
• to provide a guarantee of sovereignty to individual states.
• to allow the national government to efficiently run the country.
• to give more citizens more opportunities to select government officials.

Which opinion would be supported by a Federalist?

• Only states should have the ability to tax citizens.

• The creation of a presidency will lead to a monarchy.

• More powers should be given to the national government.

• A bill of rights should be created to protect the rights of the people.

An excerpt from the debate over ratification of the Constitution is shown.

If the new Constitution be examined with accuracy and candor [honesty],
it will be found that the change which it proposes consists much less in the
addition of NEW POWERS to the Union, than in the invigoration of its
ORIGINAL POWERS. . . . The powers relating to war and peace, armies
and fleets, treaties and finance, with the other more considerable powers,
are all vested in the existing Congress by the articles of Confederation.
The proposed change does not enlarge these powers; it only substitutes a
more effectual mode of administering them.

What viewpoint does this excerpt demonstrate?

• the Federalist viewpoint that federal law should be supreme to state
  law when they conflict

• the Federalist viewpoint that the Constitution will address the
  weaknesses of the prior system of government
  

• the Anti-Federalist viewpoint that the Constitution should grant state
  governments the power to overturn laws at the national level

• the Anti-Federalist viewpoint that a powerful national government
  poses a threat to the civil liberties of individual citizens