The process of ratifying the Constitution generated extensive disagreements between Federalists and Antifederalists.Discuss three issues that divided the Federalists and Antifederalists during the ratification debate and summarize each side's arguments on these issues.

There are three components to this question.
a.Representation: One major area of contention between the two sides was representation.Antifederalists asserted that representatives must be "a true picture of the people." They argued this could be achieved only in small,relatively homogeneous republics such as the existing states.Federalists saw no reason that representatives should be precisely like those they represented.In their view,one of the great advantages of representative government was precisely the possibility that the people would choose as their representatives individuals possessing ability,experience,and talent superior to their own.
b.Tyranny: A second important issue was the threat of tyranny.From the Antifederalist perspective,the greatest danger was that the few would use their power to tyrannize the many.For this reason,Antifederalists were critical of the unelected institutions in the Constitution (such as the Senate,the executive,and the federal judiciary).The Federalists were fearful of majority tyranny.From the Federalist perspective,it was precisely those features of the Constitution that the Antifederalists attacked as potential sources of tyranny that actually offered the best hope of averting the threat of oppression.
c.Governmental power: A third major difference was the issue of governmental power.Antifederalists favored limiting and enumerating the powers granted to the national government in relation both to the states and to the people at large.Antifederalists also demanded that a bill of rights be added to the Constitution to place limits on the government's power.Federalists favored the construction of a government with broad powers to defend the nation against foreign foes,guard against domestic strife and insurrection,promote commerce,and expand the nation's economy.