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Difficulty: MediumThe Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

"My principal objections were, that the representation in a House of Representatives is unequal; that the people have no security for their right of election; that under the power to lay excise and duties, a treaty may be made to subvert the Constitution... and that the judicial department will be oppressive... and that there is no constitutional declaration of rights."
— Elbridge Gerry, letter to the Massachusetts State Legislature, 1787

Which of the following developments during the ratification debates was most directly a response to concerns like those expressed by Gerry in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The creation of a unicameral legislature under the Articles of Confederation to protect state sovereignty
  2. B
    The formation of the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose loose construction of the Constitution
  3. The promise by Federalists to add a bill of rights to the Constitution during state ratifying conventionsAnswer
  4. D
    The passage of direct colonial taxation acts to resolve wartime debt obligations

Answer

The promise by Federalists to add a bill of rights to the Constitution during state ratifying conventions
The correct option is correct because the lack of a bill of rights was the primary objection raised by Anti-Federalist critics like Elbridge Gerry. In order to win over moderate Anti-Federalists in crucial states, the Federalists pledged to introduce a series of constitutional amendments protecting individual liberties immediately after the new government commenced.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the excerpt to identify the author's primary concerns regarding the proposed Constitution.
The author (Elbridge Gerry) lists several major objections, most notably the absence of a bill of rights (or 'constitutional declaration of rights') and concerns about federal overreach.
Understanding the source material allows for matching the author's objections to the subsequent historical resolutions.
2
Examine the historical developments that occurred during the ratification debates (1787–1788).
To address the concerns of Anti-Federalists who feared centralized power and the absence of individual rights protections, Federalists agreed to add a bill of rights to the Constitution post-ratification.
This shows how the Federalist concessions directly responded to the specific objections raised by critics of the Constitution.
3
Evaluate the distractors for chronological and conceptual correctness.
The Articles of Confederation predate this era, the first party system developed in the 1790s, and colonial taxation occurred before the Revolution.
This step eliminates incorrect choices by identifying chronological misplacements and conceptual confusion.

Key Concept

Federalist and Anti-Federalist debates and the compromise leading to the Bill of Rights
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

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