There were many reasons why someone might have liked or disliked the system of government proposed in the U.S. Constitution. However, because the immediate decision was only whether to ratify the document, the debate essentially boiled down to two broad camps. On one side were the Federalists, who argued in favor of ratification of the Constitution. On the other side of the debate were the AntiFederalists, who opposed ratification. The Federalists had an immediate advantage in the debate simply by being able to claim the name Federalists. They could argue that they were attempting to solve the problems of the Articles of Confederation. The Federalists were also helped in their campaign for public acceptance of the Constitution because they were led by the delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention. Being led by the political elite could also be a liability for the Federalists, however. First, AntiFederalists could whip up antagonism toward.....
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