One key Anti-Federalist criticism of the proposed Constitution was the absence of what protection?

• A. The creation of a national bank
• B. The presence of a strong executive
• C. The requirement for a parliamentary veto
• D. The lack of a Bill of Rights

Answer: (C)

The key idea a student is being tested on is the Anti-Federalists’ demand for explicit protections for individual rights in the new government. They worried that a strong national framework could infringe liberties unless those rights were guaranteed in writing. A Bill of Rights would explicitly list fundamental freedoms and limits on federal power, serving as a check against potential government overreach and helping reassure people that their basic rights would be protected.

Thus, the absence of a Bill of Rights is the protection Anti-Federalists argued was needed, because it directly addresses safeguarding individuals from government encroachment. The other options point to concerns about policy directions or institutional form, but they do not embody the key safeguard anti-Federalists emphasized.