Excerpt from “Anti-Federalist, No. 84”
...But it is not necessary, for this purpose, that individuals should relinquish all their natural rights. Some are of such a nature that they cannot be surrendered. Of this kind are the rights of conscience, the right of enjoying and defending life, etc. Others are not necessary to be resigned in order to attain the end for which government is instituted; these therefore ought not to be given up. To surrender them, would counteract the very end of government, to wit, the common good. From these observations it appears, that in forming a government on its true principles, the foundation should be laid in the manner I before stated, by expressly reserving to the people such of their essential rights as are not necessary to be parted with. The same reasons which at first induced mankind to associate and institute government, will operate to influence them to observe this precaution. If they had been disposed to conform themselves to the rule of immutable righteousness, government would not have been requisite. It was because one part exercised fraud, oppression and violence, on the other, that men came together, and agreed that certain rules should be formed to regulate the conduct of all, and the power
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Which statements summarize the central ideas of the passage? Select all that apply.
Answer choices for the above question
a) The federal government is established so that the natural rights of the country’s citizens could be limited.
b) There is no need for a federal government because the states, comprised of citizens with their own rights, will govern themselves.
c) It is a given that placing people in powerful positions will cause destruction of an entire nation and a restriction of citizens’ inalienable rights.
d) The ruling body of Great Britain sets the example for the United States to construct its own federal government to reflect the ideals of England.
e) Some rights of the people must be given up in order to establish government, but there are certain inalienable rights that cannot be surrendered.
f) If the laws of the federal government overpower those of the state governments, the state governments must be protected by their own bills of rights.
