The Anti-Federalists primarily wanted to do what with the Articles of Confederation?

The Anti-Federalists primarily sought to revise the Articles of Confederation rather than abolishing them outright. They believed that the Articles needed improvement to address issues such as the lack of a strong central authority, which resulted in inefficiencies in governance. By advocating for revisions rather than complete abolition, the Anti-Federalists aimed to maintain certain aspects of the confederation that they felt were beneficial while making necessary adjustments to enhance the government’s ability to function effectively.

This viewpoint stemmed from their fears regarding a powerful national government and the potential for tyranny that could emerge from a centralized authority, which they felt was a risk associated with the new Constitution being proposed by the Federalists. The Anti-Federalists argued that a better approach would be to strengthen the existing framework through amendments and changes rather than discarding it entirely.

Consequently, this perspective captures their fundamental belief in preserving a level of state autonomy and protecting individual liberties, which they felt were threatened by the proposed Constitution. Their desire for revisions highlighted their commitment to a cautious and democratic approach to governance.