The Federalists supported the Constitution and called for a stronger central government (founded by Alexander Hamilton). The Anti-Federalists did not want a stronger central government because they feared that their rights would be taken away, so they favored a weaker government that gave the power to the states. The Anti-Federalists finally agreed to ratify the Constitution as long as the Federalists would add a Bill of Rights, stating the rights of the Americans (the Federalists did not think a Bill of Rights was necessary)
Federalists: John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, John Marshall, Timothy Pickering, and Charles Pinckney
Anti-Federalists: Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, James Winthrop, Melancton Smith
The people who generally supported the Federalists were the elites (wealthy)
The people who generally supported the Anti-Federalists were farmers
Later, the Federalists supported the British in the conflict between Great Britain and France while the Anti-Federalists supported the French
