Federalists and Anti-Federalists Overview

In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was completed and required ratification by nine of the thirteen states. This process took over two years, during which two groups emerged: Federalists, who supported ratification and a strong central government, and Anti-Federalists, who opposed it fearing centralized power and demanded a Bill of Rights. Federalists, including Hamilton and Madison, published the Federalist Papers to advocate for the Constitution. Eventually, a compromise was reached with the promise of a Bill of Rights, leading to the ratification by all states, making the Constitution the Supreme Law of the Land.

In what year was the Constitution completed and ready for ratification?

• 1785

• 1787

• 1788

• 1786

How many states needed to ratify the Constitution for it to become the Supreme Law of the Land?

• 13

• 11

• 9

• 7

Which group was in favor of ratifying the Constitution?

• Whigs

• Tories

• Federalists

• Anti-Federalists

What did the Anti-Federalists want to add to the Constitution?

• An amendment on slavery

• A preamble

• A clause on state sovereignty

• A Bill of Rights

Who among the following was a Federalist?

• Patrick Henry

• Alexander Hamilton

• John Adams

• Samuel Adams

Which document did the Federalists use to explain how the Constitution would work?

• The Declaration of Independence

• The Articles of Confederation

• The Federalist Papers

• The Bill of Rights

Which states initially voted in favor of the Constitution, giving it only five of the nine needed votes?

• North Carolina and Rhode Island

• Virginia and New York

• Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire

• Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut

What did the Federalists promise to add to the Constitution to gain more support?

• A clause on economic policies

• A new preamble

• A Bill of Rights

• An amendment on state rights

Which two states were the last to ratify the Constitution, making it the Supreme Law of the Land?

• North Carolina and Rhode Island

• New Jersey and Georgia

• Virginia and New York

• Delaware and Pennsylvania

Who were some of the prominent Anti-Federalists?

• James Madison and John Marshall

• Alexander Hamilton and John Jay

• George Washington and Edmund Randolph

• John Adams and Samuel Adams