Which of the following statements best explains why the addition of a bill of rights was necessary to ensure ratification of the Constitution?
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1 point
The anti-Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government
The Anti-Federalists were distrustful of state governments
The Federalists were distrudtful of a national bill of rights being used by states
The Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government
The anti-Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government
The best statement that explains why the addition of a bill of rights was necessary to ensure the ratification of the Constitution is: The anti-Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government.
The correct statement that best explains why the addition of a bill of rights was necessary to ensure ratification of the Constitution is: "The Anti-Federalists were fearful of a too powerful national government."
To understand this, it is helpful to have some background knowledge on the historical context. During the debates surrounding the ratification of the Constitution in the late 18th century, two main factions emerged: the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
The Federalists were supporters of the proposed Constitution and advocated for a strong central government. They believed that a strong national government was necessary to ensure stability, protect national interests, and effectively govern the young nation.
On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists were skeptical of a strong central government and expressed concerns that it might lead to a abuse of power and infringement on individual rights. They feared that without explicit guarantees protecting individual liberties, the new government could easily become tyrannical.
In order to garner support and address the concerns of the Anti-Federalists, the Federalists agreed to add a bill of rights to the Constitution. This was seen as a compromise to secure the ratification of the Constitution by providing specific protections for individual freedoms.
Therefore, the addition of a bill of rights was necessary to ensure ratification because it reassured the Anti-Federalists that their concerns about the potential for a too powerful national government would be addressed and individual liberties would be protected.