What key issue did the Federalists and Anti-Federalists mostly disagree upon?

The key disagreement between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists centered on the necessity of a Bill of Rights. The Federalists, who supported the ratification of the Constitution, believed that the framework of the new government provided sufficient protections for individual liberties and that a Bill of Rights was unnecessary. They argued that the Constitution limited the powers of the federal government and that rights not specifically granted to the government were retained by the states and the people.

In contrast, the Anti-Federalists were concerned that without a Bill of Rights, the Constitution would leave individual liberties vulnerable to government infringement. They advocated for explicit protections of individual rights to safeguard against potential tyranny and overreach by the federal government. This fundamental difference highlighted their wider concerns about the balance of power between the state and federal government, ultimately leading to the promise of a Bill of Rights as a condition for ratification of the Constitution.