The Anti-Federalist Library

Fellow Citizen,

Our founding fathers were complicated men, a truth evident from any reading of the United States Constitution.

Their vociferous belief in liberty and independence is easily drowned out by the inherent hypocrisy of their positions. Those vocally opposed to slavery were often slaveholders themselves, even if only “begrudingly.” Their original rendition of the Constitution relegates our fellow man as merely 3/5ths of a person for the sake of representation; one of many grave injustices only partially corrected by future amendments and laws.

Despite these contradictions, it’s equally obvious that many of our founders appreciated the tyranny a government could impose upon its citizenry. This was especially the case for the Anti-Federalists, the derisive name given to those who opposed the creation of a strong central government as envisioned by the Constitution. Thanks to their persistent efforts during its drafting, the Bill of Rights was included to enshrine our individual rights.

Today, nearly 250 years since the founding of our republic, their words are more important than ever. At times, they can be eerily prescient:

This, sir, is my great objection to the Constitution, that there is no true responsibility — and that the preservation of our liberty depends on the single chance of men being virtuous enough to make laws to punish themselves.
Patrick Henry

This library is an effort to preserve the Anti-Federalist perspectives that shaped our constitution and our nation’s unique conception of individual liberties.

I invite you to join me in critically examining the intentions and perspectives of these founding fathers who were instrumental in protecting future citizens against tyranny.

Yours Truly,
The Editor