To answer this question correctly, students must draw on their knowledge of the past to determine whether the document was written by a Federalist or an Antifederalist during the debate over the ratification of the Constitution. Successful answers will explain that the passage was likely written by an Antifederalist because it expresses the kinds of objections to the to the Constitution that were raised by Antifederalists and not the Federalists.
Level: Proficient
Student explains that this was written by an Antifederalist because the passage expresses Antifederalist objections to the Constitution.
Level: Emergent
Student decides that the passage was written by an Antifederalist but provides vague reasoning.
Student decides that the passage was written by an Antifederalist, but their answer makes both correct and incorrect or unclear statements about the differences between the two sides or about the content of the document.
Student shows a correct understanding of the differences between Federalists and Antifederalists but selects Federalist, presumably because they have misunderstood the content of the document.
Level: Basic
Student’s explanation shows a significant misunderstanding about the differences between Federalists and Antifederalists or the debate between the two sides (regardless of which group they selected).
Student’s explanation is incorrect, unclear, or unrelated to the differences between Federalists and Antifederalists (regardless of which group they selected).
