Final answer:
The Antifederalists were those who favored states' rights over the national government, advocating for strong state governments and a weak national government, and the addition of a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individuals who preferred states' rights over the national government were known as Antifederalists. They argued for strong state governments and a weaker national government, fearing that a powerful federal government would dominate local autonomy and lead to a loss of personal freedoms. The Antifederalists believed in the importance of local governance and were skeptical of the potential for a strong central authority to cater to the elite and disregard the rights of average citizens. They also called for the addition of a Bill of Rights to the Constitution to protect individual liberties.