Final answer:
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution primarily due to fears of a strong central government, lack of a bill of rights, secretive proceedings, and inadequate representation. North Carolina and Rhode Island initially refused to ratify without a bill of rights. These concerns were largely addressed after the Constitution's ratification and the subsequent addition of the Bill of Rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some of the major Anti-Federalist complaints against ratification of the U.S. Constitution were rooted in a fear of a strong central government, which they believed could become tyrannical and endanger individual liberties and states' autonomy. Anti-Federalists were particularly concerned that the Constitution did not contain a bill of rights to protect fundamental freedoms. They found the process of the Constitutional Convention secretive and the ratification process fraught with irregularities. Moreover, they predicted that the representation proposed in the Constitution would be inadequate for a growing nation.
North Carolina and Rhode Island refused to participate in the ratification because the Constitution lacked a specific bill of rights, a crucial protection for individual freedoms. Anti-Federalists were distrustful of the elite and believed a strong federal government would favor the wealthy, potentially leading to a political aristocracy and threatening state sovereignty.
Ultimately, the Federalists, who argued for a strong national government to lead the new nation and countered Anti-Federalist fears by promising a bill of rights, prevailed. The Constitution was ratified and later amended to include the Bill of Rights, addressing many Anti-Federalist concerns.