Those who opposed the ratification of the Constitution in favor of small localized government were known as Anti-Federalists. Both the Federalists and the.... The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution because they feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus.... Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution and ... Faced with forceful Anti-Federalist opposition to a strong national government,.... The Antifederalists opposed the ratification of the US Constitution, but they never organized efficiently across all thirteen states, and so had to fight the.... Read about their arguments below. Anti-Federalist Debate Federalist Debate. Those opposed to the Constitution. Anti-Federalists argued that the Constitution.... Federalists believed that a stronger national government would improve relationships between states and help create, as the Constitution stated, a more perfect.... The Anti- Federalists claimed the Constitution gave the central go