Federalist/Anti-Federalists Arguments - Ms. Gillison | Library

Instructions

You need to decide if each statement would be something that either a Federalist or an Anti-Federalist would support (agree with).  Each student must turn in their own but you can talk about each one in your table groups.  

Required

5

“The Constitution gives the federal government enough power to run the states. We feel this benefits and enhances our country.” They feel nothing more is needed.

Required

5

“The Constitution says federal laws are the ‘supreme law of the land,’ so the federal government could just take complete control. We feel that this would be detrimental (bad) to our country.”

Required

5

“Nothing in the Constitution says the federal government has power to limit people’s freedoms in the first place. Citizens do not need to worry as they did when a monarchy (king) controlled our every move.”

Required

5

“The Constitution gives the federal government just a few powers that are very well defined. The Federal government can not overstep its authority because it's power will be checked by the other branches of government.”

Required

5

“The President created by the Constitution is really just a king.” The President could do a lot of damage to the rights of citizens.

Required

5

“A strong President is necessary to protect the country against foreign attack and make sure laws are carried out properly.”

Required

5

“The Constitution creates a Supreme Court that is too powerful because the judges don’t answer to anyone.” Federal judges are appointed and can stay in the job until they die or retire so their power is too strong.

Required

5

"A free government is based on majority rule which cannot be effectively administered in a republic as large as ours is currently or may be in the future. States will be the most effective means of administering to the concerns of their citizens." States know what their citizens need and want. The federal government can not know what people need or want.

Required

5

"The Constitution forbids the creation of titles such as 'Duke' or 'King' so the government will always belong to the people." The United States will remain a country run by popular sovereignty.

Required

5

"The powers of the government are too heavily weighted towards a federal government and go against the desires and needs of each state. Citizens will not know their learders or be able to affect meaningful changes when necessary."

Required

5

If you had lived back in 1787 (aside from having to wear some really strange clothes) do you think you would have sided with the federalist argument or the anti-federalist argument? Explain why you selected that side.