How were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists ultimately satisfied during ratification?

How were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists ultimately satisfied during ratification?

• A. A plan to hold a constitutional convention every two years
• B. The promise of a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties
• C. The expansion of presidential powers
• D. The creation of a national church

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the ratification of the Constitution hinged on a compromise: add a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties. The Federalists supported ratification with a strong national government, while Anti-Federalists feared that power without explicit protections could threaten personal rights. By promising to add a Bill of Rights—amendments that limit the government and safeguard freedoms—the two sides found common ground. This assurance helped secure enough support for ratification, and soon after the Bill of Rights was adopted as the first ten amendments, shielding basic rights like speech, religion, and due process. The other options don’t fit the historical outcome: there was no plan for a biannual constitutional convention, expanding presidential powers would not ease fears, and there was no move to create a national church.

The key idea is that the ratification of the Constitution hinged on a compromise: add a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties. The Federalists supported ratification with a strong national government, while Anti-Federalists feared that power without explicit protections could threaten personal rights. By promising to add a Bill of Rights—amendments that limit the government and safeguard freedoms—the two sides found common ground. This assurance helped secure enough support for ratification, and soon after the Bill of Rights was adopted as the first ten amendments, shielding basic rights like speech, religion, and due process. The other options don’t fit the historical outcome: there was no plan for a biannual constitutional convention, expanding presidential powers would not ease fears, and there was no move to create a national church.