What were the two biggest objections to ratification of the Constitution?
Asked by: Prof. Delbert Reinger | Last update: March 26, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (10 votes)
We now know that the Federalists prevailed, and the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, and went into effect in 1789. Read about their arguments below.
What were the 2 main problems with ratifying the Constitution?
Several arguments were voiced repeatedly during the ratification debates: That the Convention had exceeded its authority in producing a new Constitution; That the Constitution established the basis for a monarchical regime; That the Constitution lacked explicit protections for individual and states rights.
What were the 2 big issues going into Constitutional Convention?
When the 55 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, there were several major issues on the agenda to discuss including representation, state versus federal powers, executive power, slavery, and commerce.
What were the 2 most debated issues about the new Constitution?
The major debates were over representation in Congress, the powers of the president, how to elect the president (Electoral College), slave trade, and a bill of rights.
What was the major objection to the ratification of the Constitution?
The Supremacy Clause generated significant controversy during debates over the Constitution's ratification. Anti-Federalist opponents of the Constitution argued that the Clause would make the national government overly powerful and infringe on state sovereignty.
Challenges to Ratification of the Constitution, by Professor John Kaminski
What was the biggest obstacle to ratifying the Constitution?
what would be the biggest obstacle to ratifying the new constitution, if they were bound by the amendment rules of the articles of confederation? Unanimous consent of the state legislatures was needed.
What are the key objections to the Constitution?
It soon circulated widely and became the basic template for Anti-Federalist opposition to the Constitution, concisely articulating many of the complaints that would reverberate throughout the ratification struggle: the House of Representatives was too small to represent such a large nation; the President was ...
What were the 2 arguments over the Constitution?
There were two sides to the Great Debate: the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. The Federalists wanted to ratify the Constitution, the Anti-Federalists did not. One of the major issues these two parties debated concerned the inclusion of the Bill of Rights.
What were the two sides arguing the ratification of the Constitution known as?
Anti-Federalists argued for the value of limited central government, whereas Federalists maintained that natural rights to life, liberty, and property would be best protected under a strong central government.
What were the two central issues discussed at the Constitutional Convention?
Of all the debates during the Summer of 1787, the most contentious involved two major issues: Representation & Slavery. In this video, we briefly discuss how these debates unfolded and the Framers' compromise for each.
Why did so many states hesitate to ratify the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution because they feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus threaten individual liberties, given the absence of a bill of rights.
What was the biggest disagreement at the Constitutional Convention?
Final answer: The biggest disagreement at the Constitutional Convention was the issue of representation. The Virginia Plan proposed representation based on population, while the New Jersey Plan proposed equal representation for each state. The issue was resolved with the Great Compromise.
What were the 2 big compromises from the Constitutional Convention What do you think the most important part of the Constitution is?
The Great Compromise settled matters of representation in the federal government. The Three-Fifths Compromise settled matters of representation when it came to the enslaved population of southern states and the importation of enslaved Africans. The Electoral College settled how the president would be elected.
What were the 2 biggest issues during the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
The most divisive of those issues—those involving the apportionment of representation in the national legislature, the powers and mode of election of the chief executive, and the place of the institution of slavery in the new continental body politic—would change in fundamental ways the shape of the document that would ...
Who were the main opponents of ratification of the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists opposed the new Constitution. The Anti-Federalist camp included a group of founding-era heavyweights, including: Virginia's George Mason, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee. Massachusetts's Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, and Mercy Otis Warren.
What was a major obstacle to the ratification of the Constitution?
The most significant obstacle that the Founding Fathers faced when trying to ratify the Constitution was the lack of a Bill of Rights. Many opponents, especially in key states like New York and Virginia, were concerned that the new federal government would infringe upon individual liberties.
What were the two sides of the Constitution ratification?
As in any debate there were two sides, the Federalists who supported ratification and the Anti-Federalists who did not. We now know that the Federalists prevailed, and the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, and went into effect in 1789.
What was the main issue between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists?
The Federalists contended that a stronger central government would provide a solid base from which New York could grow and prosper. The anti-Federalists clamored for a bill of rights and fought to preserve the autonomy of the state against federal encroachments.
Why did so many people oppose ratification of the constitution and how was their opposition partly overcome?
Anti-Federalists objected to the power the Constitution gave the federal government and the absence of a bill of rights to protect individual liberties. The Federalists countered that a strong government was necessary to lead the new nation and promised to add a bill of rights to the Constitution.
Which argument did opponents of the Constitution make during the ratification process?
Opponents of the Constitution during the ratification process primarily argued that it did not protect people's rights, leading to calls for a Bill of Rights. They feared a strong central government might infringe upon individual liberties as seen under British rule.
Why did Patrick Henry oppose the Constitution?
Henry feared Constitution would give federal government too much power.
What are the 2 main parts of the Constitution?
The first part, the Preamble, describes the purpose of the document and the Federal Government. The second part, the seven Articles, establishes how the Government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed.
How were objections to the ratification of the Constitution addressed?
The rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights remedied the objections Anti-Federalists had to the original Constitution, which they feared did not protect citizens from the potential abuse of power by the federal government.
What were the major arguments against the Constitution?
The absence of a Bill of Rights in the original draft of the U.S. Constitution was a significant point of contention. Anti-Federalists argued that without explicit protections, the new federal government could potentially overreach, infringing upon essential individual liberties and rights.
What were the 3 major issues at the Constitution?
Debates erupted over representation in Congress, over slavery, and over the new executive branch.