What is his main argument against the Bill of Rights?
Asked by: Agustina Mohr | Last update: November 21, 2025Score: 5/5 (73 votes)
Among his several reasons for opposing a bill of rights was that such documents were often just “parchment barriers” that overbearing majorities violated in the states regardless of whether the written protections for minority rights existed. As he wrote in Federalist Paper No.
What was the main issue of the Bill of Rights?
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion.
Why did people not like the Bill of Rights?
By including the Bill of Rights, many were afraid it would be interpreted as only bestowing those rights on the people while giving the government all other rights. In other words, they were afraid that the Bill of Rights would restrict the rights of the people, not the government.
What was the main disagreement about adding a Bill of Rights?
Final answer: The disagreement about adding a Bill of Rights on whether it was necessary to protect individual liberties against potential government overreach. Federalists thought it was superfluous and possibly dangerous, whereas Anti-Federalists considered it vital.
Why did the federalists reject the Bill of Rights?
Therefore, Federalists argued, a bill of rights was not only unnecessary, but might even be dangerous. Unnecessary, because the new federal government could in no way endanger the freedom of the press or religion, for instance, since it was given no constitutional power to regulate either.
Federalist 84 Explained | What are Some Arguments Against the Bill of Rights?
What are the arguments against the Bill of Rights?
Many delegates believed a bill of rights would be unnecessary because all the states had their own. There was a strong belief that individual rights were implied in the document they had already created.
What were Alexander Hamilton's arguments against the Bill of Rights?
Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist Paper Number 84, argued that a Bill of Rights might even be dangerous. He said that if something wasn't listed in the Bill of Rights, the government might claim the power to do it. He also said that since each state had its own bill of rights, a national set was not needed.
What was the main argument against the need for a Bill of Rights?
James Madison and other supporters of the Constitution argued that a bill of rights wasn't necessary because - “the government can only exert the powers specified by the Constitution.” But they agreed to consider adding amendments when ratification was in danger in the key state of Massachusetts.
What were the arguments of the Federalists?
Within these documents, the Federalists argued for a strong national government and the protection of the people's rights. One of the strongest arguments expressed by the Federalists was that the Articles of Confederation could not protect the nation and provide for its defense in an emergency.
What was the argument between them about the Bill of Rights?
Federalists advocated for a strong national government. They believed the people and states automatically kept any powers not given to the federal government. Anti-Federalists wanted power to remain with state and local governments and favored a bill of rights to safeguard individual liberty.
What Bill of Rights were rejected?
In 1789, at the time of the submission of the Bill of Rights, twelve pro-were ratified and became the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Proposed Articles I and II were not ratified with these ten, but, in 1992, Article II was proclaimed as ratified, 203 years later.
How is the Bill of Rights flawed?
It is no secret that the Constitution signed on that fateful day of September 17, 1787 was highly flawed. It denied women and minorities, especially black individuals, their basic human rights for decades to come. It protected slavery. It denied civil liberties that should have been guaranteed to all.
Why did Patrick Henry oppose the Constitution?
Henry feared Constitution would give federal government too much power.
Why did the Bill of Rights not strongly affect citizens?
The Bill of Rights did not strongly affect citizens' lives until after the 1920s because many of its provisions focused on limiting the powers of the federal government.
Why did James Madison support the Constitution?
Madison believed keenly in the value of a strong government in which power was well controlled because it was well balanced among the branches.
Which amendment ended slavery?
13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865)
Why did Federalists argue against the Bill of Rights?
It was dangerous because any listing of rights could potentially be interpreted as exhaustive. Rights omitted could be considered as not retained. Finally, Federalists believed that bills of rights in history had been nothing more than paper protections, useless when they were most needed.
What was the debate on the Bill of Rights?
The House of Representatives debated the Bill of Rights between June 8 and September 24, 1789, when the House voted on its final version of amendments. House debate was shaped by the extreme reluctance, if not the open hostility, of the members towards Madison's version of amendments.
Does the Constitution say no one is above the law?
Another important idea is the “rule of law.” The rule of law means that everyone must obey the law and no one is above the law. This means that the government and its leaders must also obey the law. Our Constitution was written in 1787.
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.
What was the main idea of the Bill of Rights?
Bill of Rights - The Really Brief Version
No quartering of soldiers. Freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. Right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, double jeopardy. Rights of accused persons, e.g., right to a speedy and public trial.
Why did some oppose the Bill of Rights?
The birth of the Bill of Rights was controversial: Anti-Federalists demanded a concise constitution, which clearly delineated the people's rights and the limitations of the power of government. Federalists opposed the inclusion of a bill of rights as unnecessary.
What was the main argument against the bill of rights?
The federalist founders of the country opposed the Bill of Rights claiming that it wasnt necessary at all and that all of the rights specified in the first ten amendments were inherently implied or expressly stated in the Articles of the Constitution and the passage of them would not only be redundant but prevent the ...
What was the main argument in favor of the bill of rights?
The main argument in favor of a Bill of Rights was that it would provide explicit protections for individual liberties and limit the power of the government. It was seen as a necessary safeguard against potential government abuses.
What were the arguments of the Anti-Federalists?
Anti-Federalists argued that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, while taking too much power away from state and local governments. Many felt that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen.