Federalism: Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between a central authority (the federal government) and individual states. This concept was important during the ratification debates because some states were concerned about losing too much power to the new federal government.
Anti-Federalists: The Anti-Federalists were individuals who opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. They believed that it gave too much power to the national government at the expense of individual liberties and state sovereignty.
The Federalist Papers: The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in support of ratifying the U.S. Constitution. These essays provided arguments for why adoption of the Constitution would benefit both individual states and overall governance in America.