What were the problems with ratifying the constitution?
In the ratification debate, the Anti-Federalists opposed to the Constitution. They complained that the new system threatened liberties, and failed to protect individual rights. The Anti-Federalists weren’t exactly a united group, but instead involved many elements.
What was the weakness of the original Constitution?
The central government couldn’t collect taxes to fund its operations. The Confederation relied on the voluntary efforts of the states to send tax money to the central government. Lacking funds, the central government couldn’t maintain an effective military or back its own paper currency.
What was the biggest obstacle to ratifying the Constitution?
Opponents of ratification were called Anti-Federalists. Anti-Federalists feared the power of the national government and believed state legislatures, with which they had more contact, could better protect their freedoms.
What were 5 issues involved in the ratification debate?
The ratification debate involved the following five issues: centralization of power, the powers granted to the executive branch, the Bill of Rights, the issue of slavery and whether the formation of the constitution was legal.
What were some of the drawbacks of the new constitution?
Disadvantages
- Produces a weak government through gridlock.
- Rigid.
- Produces a powerful unelected Supreme Court that is politicised.
- There are outdated elements.
- Produces overrepresentation of small states, which affects the Senate, constitutional amendments and the Electoral College.
Why should the Constitution not be ratified?
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution because they feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus threaten individual liberties, given the absence of a bill of rights.
Which of the following was the chief obstacle to the ratification of the Constitution by the states?
The absence of a “bill of rights” turned out to be an obstacle to the Constitution’s ratification by the states. It would take four more years of intense debate before the new government’s form would be resolved. The Federalists opposed including a bill of rights on the ground that it was unnecessary.
Why was ratifying the Constitution so difficult?
The founders made the amendment process difficult because they wanted to lock in the political deals that made ratification of the Constitution possible. Moreover, they recognized that, for a government to function well, the ground rules should be stable. They made passing an amendment too hard.
What were some arguments against ratification of the Constitution?
What was the problem with the first Constitution?
One of the biggest problems was that the national government had no power to impose taxes. To avoid any perception of “taxation without representation,” the Articles of Confederation allowed only state governments to levy taxes. To pay for its expenses, the national government had to request money from the states.