Who were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, and what were their core concerns?

• A. Federalists favored a weak central government; Anti-Federalists favored a strong central government
• B. Federalists argued against a Bill of Rights
• C. Anti-Federalists supported ratification without protections
• D. Federalists supported a strong national government; Anti-Federalists feared centralized power and demanded explicit protections for individual rights

Answer: (D)

The situation hinges on the split during the ratification of the Constitution: Federalists argued for a strong national government to unify the states, manage commerce, and provide national defense; Anti-Federalists worried that concentrating power in a central government could threaten individual rights and state sovereignty, and they pressed for explicit protections for liberties in writing, which led to the inclusion of a Bill of Rights. The option that says the Federalists supported a strong national government while the Anti-Federalists feared centralized power and demanded explicit protections for individual rights best captures these positions. The other statements misstate the views—for example, suggesting Federalists wanted a weak central government or that Anti-Federalists supported ratification without protections—so they don’t fit the historical stance.