Compare and contrast the priorities of the Federalists and Antifederalists for the design of the new Constitution. Although the Federalists argued for a stronger central government (and in many ways, they got one), the Antifederalists won important battles, such as the adoption of the Bill of Rights and the retention of power in the states. What does the debate between Federalists and Antifederalists tell us about American politics in the late eighteenth century? In what ways are the values and concerns of these two groups similar to or different from today’s political debates?
