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Constitution Of 1787 Dbq Essay

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The question of why Americans supported or feared the Constitution of 1787 is imperative for it provides further insight into the founding of the United States. The young republic of America had several reasons to strongly support or fear the Constitution of 1787. To many, it would provide stability, but to others, it would take away their individual rights. Those who supported the Constitution (generally the Federalists) felt it was enough—no need for a Bill of Rights. Those who feared the Constitution (generally the Antifederalists) demanded a Bill of Rights to protect citizens. These were key differences in the impact both the Federalists and Antifederalists had on the final document. Whether or not one supported the constitution or feared …show more content…

To them, it was clear that the Articles of Confederation were not upholding America, and therefore, America could not succeed. While they did to some extent listen to the fears of the Antifederalists—as is evidenced by the passing of the Bill of Rights—they altogether tended to be more optimistic when it came to the Constitution. One of the founding principles of the Federalist Party was their support of a strong central government. A strong central government would provide needed stability, more so than the Articles of Confederation ever could. The Federalists were also generally less concerned with ensuring individual’s rights, as many of them felt it was the government’s duty to serve the people, and such rights did not need to be formally written because they should already be in place. They were also a bit less wary of taxation, as some saw the necessity and even the economic benefit of it.
However, the Federalists were not without their concerns. Banning (1974) writes that many (both Federalist and Antifederalists) were generally concerned with the selfishness of man overpowering the government. This is why many of the American people supported a balanced government. Banning (1974)

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