The Anti-Federalists were a late-nineteenth-century American political group that resisted ratifying the United States Constitution and advocated for a more limited federal government.
They contended that the proposed Constitution gave the central government excessive power and did not completely protect the rights of states and individuals.
Among the famous anti-Federalists were Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Richard Henry Lee. They were mostly rural, agrarian, and working-class individuals who were concerned that a strong federal government would undermine state rights and individual liberty.
They suggested that the Constitution should be amended to include a bill of rights to ensure that citizens’ rights were protected.
Also Read: Facts About the Bill of Rights
Despite the fact that the Federalists eventually won the fight and the United States Constitution was enacted, anti-Federalist sentiments affected the formation of American politics and government.
Concerns over the federal government’s concentration of power led to the inclusion of the Bill of Rights, which codified people’s rights and limited the federal government’s power.
Famous Anti-Federalists
1. Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry (1736-1799) was an American lawyer, landowner, and politician who served as one of the country’s founding fathers. During the battle over the ratification of the US Constitution, he was a significant figure in the Anti-Federalist faction.
Also Read: Patrick Henry Facts
Henry was a strong supporter of states’ rights and individual liberties, and he was concerned that the proposed Constitution gave the federal government too much power.
He is well renowned for his remarks, particularly his famous 1775 speech in which he said, “Give me liberty or give me death.” This speech aided in galvanizing support for American independence from the United Kingdom.
Despite his resistance to the Constitution, Henry eventually ratified it and became the first Governor of Virginia under the new federal government.
He is acknowledged as a major character in American history for his zealous support of individual rights and contributions to the American political heritage.
2. George Mason
George Mason (1725–1792) was a landowner, statesman, and delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention. During the battle over the ratification of the US Constitution, he was a significant figure in the Anti-Federalist faction.
Mason was a strong supporter of state rights and individual liberty, and he was concerned that the proposed Constitution gave the federal government too much power.
He is best known for his contribution to the creation of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which served as a model for the Bill of Rights and affected the evolution of civil freedoms in the United States.
Despite his resistance to the Constitution, Mason eventually ratified it and served as a delegate to the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788.
He is renowned as a strong advocate for state and individual rights, and his contributions to American political theory are still studied and cherished today.
3. Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee (1732-1794) was an American politician and one of the country’s founding fathers. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress and helped to draft the Declaration of Independence.
During the battle for the ratification of the US Constitution, Lee was also a significant figure in the Anti-Federalist movement.
Lee was a staunch supporter of state rights and individual liberty, and he was concerned that the proposed Constitution gave the federal government too much power.
He is best remembered for his part in introducing the resolution calling for American independence from Great Britain in the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776.
Despite his resistance to the Constitution, Lee finally ratified it and served as a delegate to the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788.
He is remembered as a key figure in American history for his contributions to the American Revolution as well as his defense of states’ rights and individual liberties.
4. Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams (1722–1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and one of the United States’ Founding Fathers. He was a pivotal participant in the American Revolution and a leading member of the Anti-Federalist camp during the fight over the US Constitution’s ratification.
Also Read: Samuel Adams Facts
Adams was a staunch supporter of colonial rights and a vociferous critic of British practices in the years preceding the American Revolution. He was also a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a significant participant in the campaign to unite the colonies.
During the argument over ratifying the US Constitution, Adams was concerned that the draft text gave the central government too much power and did not fully guarantee citizens’ rights.
Despite his reservations, he eventually backed the Constitution’s ratification and remained active in American politics throughout his life.
Adams is recognized as a pivotal figure in the American Revolution and a supporter of individual and state liberties. He is still regarded as a pivotal figure in American history, and his contributions to American political thinking are still studied and honored today.
5. Mercy Otis Warren
Mercy Otis Warren (1728-1814) was a political activist and writer from the United States. She was one of the few women to play an important role in the American Revolution, and she was a key member of the Anti-Federalist camp during the debate over ratifying the US Constitution.
Warren was a staunch supporter of individual liberties and was concerned that the proposed Constitution gave the federal government too much power.
She was a vociferous critic of Federalist policy and is most known for her literary efforts, notably a three-volume history of the American Revolution, which was released in 1805 and continues to be a valuable source of information about the time.
Despite her resistance to the Constitution, Warren finally backed its ratification and remained involved in American politics for the rest of her life.
She is renowned as a trailblazer in the history of American women, and her contributions to American political philosophy are still researched and honored today.
6. Melancton Smith
Melancton Smith (1744-1798) was a key member in the Anti-Federalist faction during the battle over the ratification of the United States Constitution.
Smith was a strong supporter of states’ rights and individual liberties, and he was concerned that the proposed Constitution gave the federal government too much power.
He was a strong opponent of Federalist principles and was a key figure in the ratification arguments, particularly in New York, where he served as a delegate to the state’s Ratifying Convention in 1788.
Smith was important in establishing the Bill of Rights as a condition of his support for the Constitution, and he is renowned for his role in crafting the constitution and ensuring that citizens’ rights were preserved.
Despite his opposition to many Federalist ideals, Smith remained an active participant in American politics throughout his life and is considered an important figure in the early history of the United States.
7. Luther Martin
Luther Martin (1748-1826) was an American politician who was a key role in the Anti-Federalist faction during the battle over the US Constitution’s ratification.
Martin was a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention and actively participated in the debates over the proposed Constitution. He was a staunch supporter of state rights and individual liberty, and he was concerned that the proposed agreement gave the central government too much power.
Martin was a strong opponent of Federalist principles and was a key figure in the ratification debates, particularly in Maryland, where he served as a delegate to the state’s Ratifying Convention in 1788.
Despite his resistance to many Federalist ideals, Martin finally backed the Constitution’s ratification and remained active in American politics throughout his life.
Martin is recognized as a staunch supporter of state rights and individual liberties, and he remains a pivotal figure in the early history of the United States. He is most recognized for his contributions to the development of American political theory and his role in the debates over the US Constitution.
8. Roger Sherman
Roger Sherman (April 19, 1721 – July 23, 1793) was an American statesman, lawyer, and one of the country’s founding fathers.
He is the only individual to have signed four of the foundational documents of the United States: the Continental Association, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and U.S. Constitution. He also signed the King’s Petition of 1774.
Despite his lack of formal schooling, Sherman created a law profession in Litchfield County, Connecticut, despite his birth in Newton, Massachusetts. From 1766 to 1789, he served as a justice of the Connecticut Superior Court after serving in the Connecticut House of Representatives.
He was a member of the Committee of Five that authored the Declaration of Independence and represented Connecticut at the Continental Congress.
Sherman was a delegate at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, which resulted in the creation of the United States Constitution. He was the convention’s second-oldest delegate, following Benjamin Franklin.
Sherman supported giving the federal government authority to raise income and regulate commerce, but he was initially opposed to moves to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution.
Sherman became a prominent delegate and main opponent of James Madison’s Virginia Plan after supporting the construction of a new constitution and offering the Connecticut Compromise, which was approved by both the more and less populous states.
Sherman served in the United States House of Representatives from 1789 to 1791 after the Constitution was ratified. From 1791 until his death in 1793, he was a member of the United States Senate.
9. Elbridge Gerry
Elbridge Gerry (July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814) was an American Founding Father, merchant, politician, and diplomat who served as President James Madison’s fifth vice president from 1813 until his death in 1814.
Gerrymandering is a political technique named after him. He was the second vice president to pass away while in office.
Gerry, born into a wealthy merchant family, spoke out against British colonial policy in the 1760s and was involved in the early stages of organizing the American Revolutionary War.
Gerry was elected to the Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence as well as the Articles of Confederation.
He was one of three persons at the 1787 Constitutional Convention who refused to sign the United States Constitution because it lacked a Bill of Rights at the time it was signed.
Following its ratification, he was elected to the first United States Congress, where he was a supporter of individual and state liberty and was actively involved in the formulation and passage of the Bill of Rights.
10. James Winthrop
James Winthrop (1752-1832) was an American lawyer and politician who was a vocal opponent of the United States Constitution during the ratification discussions.
He was a major member of the Anti-Federalist movement who opposed the idea of a powerful central government.
Winthrop served as a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention in 1787 and was an outspoken critic of the proposed US Constitution, claiming that it violated federalism principles and curtailed the power of individual states.
He feared that the Constitution would lead to the federal government consolidating power and endangering state autonomy.
Despite his opposition to the US Constitution, Winthrop was regarded as a renowned figure in American politics, and his ideas continue to influence political thought and discussion to this day.