Who were the staunch opponents of ratification during the debates?

The Anti-Federalists were the staunch opponents of ratification during the debates surrounding the U.S. Constitution in the late 1780s. This group was primarily concerned that the proposed Constitution would create a central government that was too powerful and infringe upon individual liberties and states' rights. They feared that the new federal structure lacked sufficient safeguards for personal freedoms, especially without a Bill of Rights. Anti-Federalists argued for a more decentralized governmental approach and advocated for the protection of state sovereignty, emphasizing the need for checks on federal power.

The Federalists, in contrast, supported the Constitution, arguing that a stronger national government was necessary for the stability and success of the new nation. Patriots is a more general term that refers to those who supported independence from Britain, and while many Patriots became Federalists, not all were engaged in the debates over the Constitution. Republicans, in this context, often referred to the party that emerged later, which was not directly involved in the ratification debates of the Constitution itself. Thus, the Anti-Federalists' role as fierce critics of the proposed Constitution makes them the correct answer in this context.