What the Anti-Federalists Were For

by Herbert J. Storing

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay benefited greatly by having their Federalist arguments in favor of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution known by the common name of "Federalism". This positive identification was not matched by the opposing camp's designation of Anti-Federalism, which only denotes what that group did NOT support. Ethan Allen and others are treated to an overdue examination by Storing, who brings into greater relief these other founding fathers. It is to them that the US owes the creation of the Bill of Rights, for which the Anti-Federalists withheld their ratification votes until they were extended a promise of immediate amendment from the pro-passage camp.