Why didn't people like the Constitution?
Asked by: Deanna Stehr | Last update: January 14, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (15 votes)
In some sense, of course, the Constitution was always law-like. But originally, there were lots of Americans who pushed back against that idea that the Constitution was a legal text. They instead thought it was a “people's” text, not the special province of lawyers to interpret and enforce.
Why did some people not like the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 US 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. They seem to have been correct.
Why were some people not in favor of the Constitution?
The Federalists felt that this addition wasn't necessary, because they believed that the Constitution as it stood only limited the government not the people. The Anti- Federalists claimed the Constitution gave the central government too much power, and without a Bill of Rights the people would be at risk of oppression.
What was the main reason people opposed the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists feared that the new Constitution gave the national government too much power. And that this new government—led by a new group of distant, out-of-touch political elites—would: Seize all political power. Swallow up the states—the governments that were closest to the people themselves.
What are some negative things about the Constitution?
- Congress Can Not Improve Poor Attendance by Delegates. ...
- Congress Pleads with the States to Contribute Money to the National Treasury. ...
- Congress is Unable to Control Commerce Between America and Foreign Nations.
Why wasn’t the Bill of Rights originally in the US Constitution? - James Coll
What were the 3 major reasons against the Constitution?
- the excessive power of the national government at the expense of the state government;
- the disguised monarchic powers of the president;
- apprehensions about a federal court system and its control over the states;
What were the 3 major issues at the Constitution?
Debates erupted over representation in Congress, over slavery, and over the new executive branch.
Who was against the Constitution and why?
The Anti-Federalists fought hard against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown, and it lacked a bill of rights.
What were the biggest disagreements for and against the Constitution?
How the Articles of Confederation failed and delegates met to create a 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.
Who was most likely to oppose the Constitution?
Overall, it was predominantly the agrarian population in remote areas who found themselves at the forefront of the opposition against the ratification of the Constitution, seeking to ensure that their local and state governments remained robust and influential.
Who did not like the U.S. Constitution?
But Anti-Federalists, who feared that the document gave too much power to the federal government, worked to convince the states to reject it. In order for the Constitution to take effect, nine of the 13 states would have to ratify.
What problems did the Constitution not solve?
The role of the frontier and western expansion, the issues of race and sectionalism1, the prominence of religion, the challenges of technological, industrial, and international change, are some of the most prominent features of the USA that were not created by the Constitution, and these things would have influenced ...
Did everyone agree with the Constitution?
During the four months the delegates had spent putting the Constitution together, there were some strong disagreements. Some had walked out of the convention. Three refused to sign the finished document. Benjamin Franklin argued in support of the Constitution.
What kinds of people did not support the Constitution?
The Anti-Federalists feared that the Constitution gave the new national government too much power and that this new government—led by a new group of distant, out-of-touch political elites—would seize all political power; swallow up the states—the governments that were closest to the people themselves; and abuse the ...
How many founding fathers had slaves?
The Constitutional Rights Foundation asserts that 17 of the 55 delegates were enslavers and together held about 1,400 enslaved people.
Why did the Constitution fail at first?
The central government couldn't collect taxes to fund its operations. The Confederation relied on the voluntary efforts of the states to send tax money to the central government. Lacking funds, the central government couldn't maintain an effective military or back its own paper currency.
What were three arguments against 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 was a major criticism of the Constitution?
Five of their most significant objections to the Constitution are summarized in the excerpts that follow: that replacement of the Articles of Confederation was unnecessary; that the new government would give rise to a privileged aristocracy; that a stronger central government would obliterate the states; that a large, ...
What was the main issue of the Constitution?
A chief aim of the Constitution as drafted by the Convention was to create a government with enough power to act on a national level, but without so much power that fundamental rights would be at risk.
Why are people opposed to the Constitution?
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. 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.
Did the Constitution protect slavery?
Nevertheless, slavery received important protections in the Constitution. The notorious three-fifths clause—which counted three-fifths of a state's slave population in apportioning representation—gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College.
Why were slaves counted as 3/5 of a whole person?
Viewed the opposite way, by including three-fifths of slaves in the legislative apportionment (even though they had no voting rights), the Three-fifths Compromise provided additional representation in the House of Representatives of slave states compared to the free states, if representation had been considered based ...
What were the major debates over the Constitution?
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.
Why was there no bill of rights in the Constitution?
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.