Why did the Antifederalists demand the Bill of Rights?

Why did the Antifederalists demand the Bill of Rights?

• A. To limit the powers of state governments only.
• B. To protect people against abuses by the national government and to safeguard individual and state rights.
• C. To promote a theocracy.
• D. To expand federal tax powers.

Answer: (B)

The question tests why Antifederalists pushed for a Bill of Rights: they wanted clear protections against a powerful national government and safeguards for both individual liberties and state authority. At the time, the new Constitution created a strong central government with broad powers, which worried critics that without explicit restraints, the federal government could infringe on rights and weaken state sovereignty. The Bill of Rights addresses this by enumerating fundamental freedoms and limiting federal power, giving people concrete protections that the national government could not easily override. That focus on guarding individual rights and preventing federal overreach is why this option is the best choice. The other ideas miss the point: limiting only state powers would not curb the new central government; promoting a theocracy contradicts the liberal protections of religious freedom; and expanding federal tax powers has nothing to do with protecting rights and was not a goal of the Antifederalists.

The question tests why Antifederalists pushed for a Bill of Rights: they wanted clear protections against a powerful national government and safeguards for both individual liberties and state authority. At the time, the new Constitution created a strong central government with broad powers, which worried critics that without explicit restraints, the federal government could infringe on rights and weaken state sovereignty. The Bill of Rights addresses this by enumerating fundamental freedoms and limiting federal power, giving people concrete protections that the national government could not easily override. That focus on guarding individual rights and preventing federal overreach is why this option is the best choice. The other ideas miss the point: limiting only state powers would not curb the new central government; promoting a theocracy contradicts the liberal protections of religious freedom; and expanding federal tax powers has nothing to do with protecting rights and was not a goal of the Antifederalists.