In the 1780s, those folks who wanted a firmer and more connected union became known as federal men. The second meaning of “federal” had a particular American character. A national or consolidated arrangement by contrast suggested a considerable relaxing of the constraints on what the union could and could not do along with a conscious diminution in the centrality of the states in the structure of the arrangement as well as the alteration of the binding document. Thus the Articles of Confederation was understood to be a federal arrangement: Congress was limited to powers expressly granted, the states qua states were represented equally regardless of the size of their population, and the amending of the document required the unanimous consent of the state legislatures. The first meaning of “federal” stood for a set of governmental principles that was understood over the centuries to be in opposition to national or consolidated principles. One was universal, or based in principle, and the other was particular and specific to the American situation. It will help in our understanding of who the Antifederalists were to know that in 1787, the word “federal” had two meanings. Who were the Antifederalists and what did they stand for? The name, Antifederalists, captures both an attachment to certain political principles as well as standing in favor and against trends that were appearing in late 18th century America. Federalist-Antifederalist Debates Exhibit Home
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