People who supported (or favored) the new Constitution were called Federalists. Federalists believed in a strong federal (or national) government. They believed that a strong central government was necessary if the states were going to band together to form a nation. A strong central government could represent the nation to other countries. In a series of essays, known as the Federalist Papers, Federalists argued for ratification of the Constitution. To win support, The Federalist Papers reminded Americans of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. They claimed that the United States would not last without a strong national government.

The Constitution, they argued, would create a better framework of government that would maintain a federal system in which there was a separation of powers that would protect the rights of the people. Famous Federalists were people like James Madison, the author of the Constitution, and Alexander Hamilton

Those who opposed (or were against) the Constitution were called Anti-Federalists. Anti-Federalists argued that a strong national government would take away liberties (or rights) Americans had fought for in the American Revolution. They warned that the government would ignore the will of the states and favor the wealthy few over the common people.

Anti-Federalists favored local government that was controlled more closely by the people. Anti-Federalists wanted to fix the Articles of Confederation instead of approving the new Constitution. They refused to sign the new Constitution until a Bill of Rights was added to protect the rights of the people from the government. Famous Anti-Federalists were people like George Mason and Patrick Henry.

The addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution illustrates how the Federalists and Anti-Federalists compromised at the Constitutional Convention.