Which of the following statements best explains why the addition of a bill of rights was necessary to ensure ratification of the Constitution?
A. The Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government.
B. The Federalists were distrustful of a national bill of rights being used by states.
C. The Anti-Federalists were distrustful of state governments.
D. The Anti-Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government.
D. The Anti-Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government.
The correct answer is D. The Anti-Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government.
While both the Federalists and Anti-Federalists had concerns about the balance of power between the national and state governments, the main reason for the addition of a bill of rights was to address the concerns of the Anti-Federalists. They believed that without explicit protections for individual rights, the central government would become too powerful and could potentially infringe upon those rights. By including a bill of rights, it helped alleviate the fears of the Anti-Federalists and ultimately led to the ratification of the Constitution.