Why did Anti Federalists oppose ratification?

Answer 1

The Anti-Federalists were in favor of keeping the Articles of Confederation, perhaps with revisions, believing in the ultimate power of states over a central government such as what is upheld in a confederation. They feared that the Federalists' new government would be too similar to the harsh regimes of Europe which held great power and thus repressed the people. Anti-Feds were extremely scared of a strong central government and the fact that under the new Constitution, the federal government was more powerful than individual states. They believed this would encroach upon people's liberty.

Answer 2

It's not a simple yes or no answer. Anti-federalists in many states felt that the Constitution needed a Bill of Rights to protect people's civil liberties, such as freedom of speech and religion. A bill of rights was a common feature of state constitutions. They opposed ratification without one. Federalists supported ratification regardless of a bill of rights. However, as states began to ratify the Constitution, many anti-Federalists in states like New York, felt pressured to support ratification. New York ratified the constitution by a vote of 30-27.

During the first Congress, James Madison introduced a list of 12 amendments to the constitution that reflected many of the recommendations made by Antifederalists at state ratification conventions. The states ratified ten of those amendments in 1791, and they became known collectively as the Bill of Rights.