What group liked the Bill of Rights?

Asked by: Sherwood Mann  |  Last update: January 22, 2026
Score: 4.6/5 (71 votes)

When the Constitution was sent to the state conventions for ratification, the Anti-Federalists who were opposed to it agreed on the need for a bill of rights to protect the liberties of the people.

What group of people wanted the Bill of Rights?

The Anti-Federalists were people who supported strong state governments and were against a strong federal, or national, government. The Anti-Federalists wanted the Constitution of 1787 defeated. The Anti-Federalists' main way to defeat the Constitution was to talk about the lack of a Bill of Rights.

What group supported the idea of a Bill of Rights?

Demand for the First Amendment began early. While the Constitution was being written and ratified, Anti-Federalists were already clamoring a Declaration of Rights of the people.

Who liked the Bill of Rights?

Antifederalists argued that a bill of rights was necessary because, the supremacy clause in combination with the necessary and proper and general welfare clauses would allow implied powers that could endanger rights. Federalists rejected the proposition that a bill of rights was needed.

Which group strongly supported the Bill of Rights?

Explanation. The group that strongly supported the addition of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution was the Anti-Federalists. After the Constitution was drafted in 1787, many Americans were concerned that it centralized too much power in the federal government and lacked protections for individual liberties.

Why wasn’t the Bill of Rights originally in the US Constitution? - James Coll

18 related questions found

Who supported the Bill of Rights?

Anti-Federalists wanted power to remain with state and local governments and favored a bill of rights to safeguard individual liberty.

Which group largely supported adding the Bill of Rights?

The Anti-Federalists's opposition to ratifying the Constitution was a powerful force in the origin of the Bill of Rights to protect Americans' civil liberties. The Anti-Federalists were chiefly concerned with too much power invested in the national government at the expense of states.

Who was the biggest supporter of the Bill of Rights?

Finally, Madison wrote President George Washington's Inaugural Address, which indicated support for a bill of rights to be acted upon in the First Congress. Representative Madison became the champion for a bill of rights in the First Congress, but the idea met a hostile reception.

Who were the strongest supporters of the Bill of Rights?

The Anti-Federalists, including Thomas Jefferson, were the strongest supporters of adding a bill of rights to the Constitution during the founding era. They believed it was necessary to protect individual rights from potential government abuses.

Who argued in favor of a Bill of Rights?

So, the Constitution's framers heeded Thomas Jefferson who argued: "A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."

Who supported the main ideas in the Bill of Rights?

Final answer:

The correct answer is John Locke, as his philosophical ideas about natural rights and government by consent significantly influenced the ideas enshrined in the Bill of Rights. Locke advocated for the protection of life, liberty, and property, aligning with the Bill of Rights' focus on individual freedoms.

What group promoted the Bill of Rights?

Explanation: The group that promised to add the Bill of Rights to the Constitution once it was ratified was the Federalists. They followed through on this promise in 1789 when Virginia Representative James Madison introduced the Bill of Rights in Congress and it was approved.

Who what group supported the adoption of the Bill of Rights?

A number of Federalists came out in support, thus silencing the Anti-Federalists' most effective critique. Many Anti-Federalists, in contrast, were now opposed, realizing that Congressional approval of these amendments would greatly lessen the chances of a second constitutional convention.

Which group didn t want a Bill of Rights?

In contrast, the Federalists supported the Constitution and wanted a stronger federal government. Federalists believed that the Constitution already ensured individual rights to the citizens and the creation of a “Bill of Rights” was unnecessary.

What did federalists believe?

The party favored centralization, federalism, modernization, industrialization, and protectionism. The Federalists called for a strong national government that promoted economic growth and fostered friendly relationships with Great Britain in opposition to Revolutionary France.

Who first proposed the Bill of Rights?

On June 8, 1789, Representative James Madison introduced a series of proposed amendments to the newly ratified U.S. Constitution.

Which group favored the Bill of Rights?

The Constitution was ratified, but some reservations surfaced about its content. A critical minority, referred to as Anti-Federalists, insisted upon the addition of a bill of rights that would protect the rights of individual citizens, and demanded a new look at some of the Constitution's specific provisions.

Who supported the Bill of right?

Although many Federalists initially opposed such a bill on the basis that it was unnecessary because the Constitution had not entrusted powers to violate such rights to the three branches, to ensure ratification of the document, key Federalists, including James Madison, agreed to support such a bill of rights once the ...

Who did not like the Bill of Rights?

Federalists opposed the inclusion of a bill of rights as unnecessary. The Constitution's first draft established a system of checks and balances that included a strong executive branch, a representative legislature, and a federal judiciary—specifying what the government could do but not what it could not do.

Which group largely supported the Bill of Rights?

The Antifederalists largely supported adding a bill of rights to the Constitution. The Antifederalists were a group of individuals who opposed the ratification of the Constitution because they believed it gave too much power to the central government and did not provide enough protection for individual rights.

Which amendment ended slavery?

13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865)

Which right isn't guaranteed in the First Amendment?

Incitement to Imminent Lawless Action

The First Amendment does not protect speech that incites people to break the law, including to commit acts of violence.

Which group strongly supported the addition of the Bill of Rights?

The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the addition of the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. The Anti-Federalists were a group of individuals who opposed the ratification of the Constitution because they believed it did not do enough to protect individual rights and liberties.

Why did Patrick Henry oppose the Constitution?

Henry feared Constitution would give federal government too much power.

Which state had the clearest separation of church and state?

Thus, in addressing the question of which state had the clearest separation of church and state, the answer would be Virginia.