Who were the proponents of a strong national government during the American Constitutional Convention of 1787?

The correct choice is the Federalists, who were the primary advocates for a strong national government during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Federalists believed that a centralized authority was necessary to maintain order, provide for the common defense, and promote economic stability. They argued that the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation demonstrated the need for a more powerful national government that could effectively govern and protect the interests of the newly formed states.

Central to the Federalists' argument was the idea that a strong national government would prevent the chaos and disorder that plagued the nation under the Articles. They believed that it would be able to regulate commerce, manage foreign relations, and maintain a standing army, thereby ensuring the security and welfare of the country. Prominent figures such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay were leading voices for this perspective, successfully promoting their views through a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers.

In contrast, the Anti-Federalists favored a weaker national government and were concerned that a strong central authority would threaten individual liberties and the rights of states. The Democratic-Republicans, emerging later as an opposition party, also supported more power resting with the states. The Whigs, a party that arose in the 1830s