Anti-Federalist were the people who were against the growth of a strong federal government and the ratification of the constitution in 1788 favoring the power to stay with the state and local governments. Some of the Anti-Federalists were, James Winthrop, Melancton Smith, Patrick Henry, and George Mason. The Federalists wanted to better manage the debt and stress that came after the American Revolution in doing so they wanted a stronger national government. Some of those men who believed in this were, John Adams, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, Rufus King, and John Marshall. Anti-Federalists believed that the legislative branch should hold more power than the executive branch. They wanted the Bill of rights to become part of the Constitution
