Jonah Patel
The United States Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The process of ratification was long and arduous, with some states opposing the document on the grounds that it did not provide protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | 21 June 1788 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware |
| Date of first state's ratification | 7 December 1787 |
| States that ratified in quick succession | Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut |
| States that opposed the Constitution | Massachusetts |
| Date of compromise | February 1788 |
| States that ratified after the compromise | Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire |
| Date of first Congress of the United States | 25 September 1789 |
| Number of amendments adopted | 12 |
| Number of amendments ratified in 1791 | 10 |
| Date of North Carolina's ratification | November 1789 |
| Date of Rhode Island's ratification | 29 May 1790 |
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What You'll Learn
The journey to ratification
New York's Alexander Hamilton thus led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing for the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government but ended up creating a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. However, the terms of the Massachusetts Compromise reached in February 1788 stipulated that amendments to that effect—what became the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed. The constitution was subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina.
In June 1788, Virginia ratified the Constitution, followed by New York in July. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
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The Articles of Confederation
However, as the nation grew and faced new challenges, the limitations of the Articles became apparent. Leaders such as Alexander Hamilton recognised the need for a stronger central government to ensure stability and effective governance. Thus, a call for a constitutional convention was made to reevaluate the nation's governing document and ultimately led to the creation and ratification of the Constitution.
The process of ratifying the Constitution was a long and arduous one. It began with Delaware, the first state to ratify it on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Other states, like Massachusetts, initially opposed the Constitution as it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked protection for basic political rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
A compromise was reached in February 1788, known as the Massachusetts Compromise, which assured these states that amendments would be immediately proposed to address their concerns. This led to the narrow ratification of the Constitution in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland and South Carolina. On 21 June 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the US government.
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The role of Alexander Hamilton
The ratification of the United States Constitution was a long and arduous process. The country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which was tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries. It became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government.
Alexander Hamilton, from New York, led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. He was wary of centralised power and loyal to his state, but he recognised the need for a powerful central government. Hamilton understood that the delegates represented wildly different interests and views, and he played a crucial role in crafting compromises that would be acceptable to all parties.
Hamilton's influence extended beyond New York, as he worked to persuade other states to ratify the Constitution. He was a strong advocate for a stronger, more unified nation, and he believed that the Constitution was the best framework for achieving this goal. His efforts were instrumental in building support for the document and ensuring that it would be ratified by the required number of states.
On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The states that ratified the Constitution in order were: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island.
The ratification of the Constitution was a significant moment in American history, and Alexander Hamilton played a pivotal role in making it happen. His leadership, compromise, and dedication to a stronger nation helped to shape the future of the United States and its system of government.
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The signing of the Constitution
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Some states, particularly Massachusetts, opposed the document as it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. In February 1788, a compromise was reached, under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was then ratified in Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina.
On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. Virginia ratified the Constitution in June 1788, followed by New York in July. In November 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Rhode Island, which opposed federal control of currency and was critical of compromise on the issue of slavery, resisted ratifying the Constitution until the U.S. government threatened to sever commercial relations with the state. On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island voted to ratify the document, and the last of the original 13 colonies joined the United States.
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The ratification process
However, some states, particularly Massachusetts, opposed the document as it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. In February 1788, a compromise was reached, under which Massachusetts and other states agreed to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was then ratified in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland and South Carolina.
In June 1788, Virginia ratified the Constitution, followed by New York in July. On 21 June 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify the Constitution, and it became the official framework of the government of the United States of America.
In November 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the Constitution. Rhode Island, which opposed federal control of currency and was critical of compromise on the issue of slavery, resisted ratifying the Constitution until the US government threatened to sever commercial relations with the state. On 29 May 1790, Rhode Island voted to ratify the document, and the last of the original 13 colonies joined the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was ratified by individual states. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it, and the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America.
Some states, especially Massachusetts, opposed the document as it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
A compromise was reached in February 1788, under which Massachusetts and other states agreed to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was then narrowly ratified in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland and South Carolina.
