Patrick Henry was known as one of the main opponents of what?

• A. The Constitution, he worked against its ratification in Virginia.
• B. The Declaration of Independence.
• C. The federal government in general.
• D. The Federalist Party.

Answer: (A)

Patrick Henry is remembered as a leading opponent of ratifying the U.S. Constitution in Virginia. He argued that a strong central government would erode state sovereignty and threaten personal liberties unless a Bill of Rights was included to curb federal power. This Anti-Federalist stance showed up during the Virginia ratification debates, where he warned that without explicit protections, ordinary people could be controlled by a distant national government. He wasn’t against government in general or opposed to independence; his concern was about the structure and powers of the new framework. The other options don’t fit because he supported the cause of independence and the Declaration of Independence, he did not oppose the idea of government in general, and the Federalist Party formed to support ratification, which aligns with the opposite view of what he stood for.