Wensen Li
Review question: Why did militant republican critics of the Constitution (commonly called Anti-Federalists) so strongly oppose the 1787 Constitution? Were they stupid? Ignorant? Did they hate America?
Hallo Zanbin, I agree with you on your answer on why Anti-Federalists vehemently opposed the 1787 Constitution. For instance, in your answer, you state that “militant republicans opposed the 1787 Constitution mainly because they feared going back to the old ways and laws imposed by the British parliament.” In addition to this, the Anti-Federalists felt that transferring their power to a centralized government will essentially take away the free will they fought really hard from the British. Their view was that a centralized government would force them to pay taxes in the same manner as the British. Interestingly, the Anti-Federalists did not oppose the 1787 Constitution because they were stupid or ignorant, but they did it for the love of America. According to Mooney, Anti-Federalists thought it was important to leave power with the people since “endowing a new central government with such powers, they implied, was tantamount to betraying the Revolution.” The Republicans saw it as important for ordinary citizens to be the ones to hold the government accountable for its actions, and extending its powers could help facilitate government corruption. Singletary, in his speech, shows the level of dissatisfaction by highlighting that “does not this [proposed] Constitution do the same? Does it not take away all we have — all our property? Does it not lay all taxes, duties, imposts, and excises?” All in all, the Anti-Federalists resisted any form of government that may restrict any form of free and independent America.