Analyze The Debate Between The Federalist And Anti-Federalists

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During the debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists, the extent of the power of the national government and the effect it would have on political, social, and economic aspects of life were at stake. Federalists won this debate because of their superior political skills due to the people who supported them and their ability to be organized.

The idea of strong centralized government the Constitution promoted was a tense area of conflict between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the political sense. Federalists´ believed the Constitution would be successful at effectively governing the country because of the strong central government it called for. They claimed a centralized government would be the best at asserting control over the population of America. The events of the Shays´ Rebellion proved the Federalists´ point. The national government, under the Articles
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To begin, the Anti-Federalists felt the Constitution would constrict the liberties of the American people. Anti-Federalists claimed that the Constitution would widen the gap between the rich and the poor. They firmly believed the strong national government would not allow people to govern themselves and they would feel oppressed. For this reason, Anti-Federalists were strict constructionists and believed if a right was not listed in the Constitution, then it was unconstitutional. On the other hand, Federalists were loose constructionists and believed if a right was not specifically listed as being unconstitutional, then it was considered a constitutional right. Federalists also believed a strong central government would be the best at protecting personal liberty because the rights would stay consistent throughout the country. In summary, the belief of the effect the Constitution would have the social norms in the United States varied between the two political