The debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists were primarily about which issue?

• A. The right to rebel
• B. The need to establish a standard currency
• C. The scope of central government power
• D. The representation of large and small states

Answer: (C)

The central issue in the Federalist versus Anti-Federalist debates is how much power the national government should have relative to the states. Federalists argued for a stronger central government to manage defense, economic policy, and national unity, believing a carefully designed Constitution with checks and balances would prevent tyranny. Anti-Federalists feared that expanding national authority would erode state sovereignty and individual rights, so they pressed for protections like a Bill of Rights and more state power. Because the core disagreement was about the scope of federal authority, this option best captures the fundamental clash. While topics like currency policy, rebellion, or representation of large versus small states were discussed, they were secondary to the question of how far the central government should extend its power.