Jonah Patel
The founding fathers bypassed the state legislatures to get the Constitution ratified, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. 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 on 21 June 1788.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | 21 June 1788 |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware |
| States that followed | Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire |
| Compromises | The Massachusetts Compromise, which led to the Bill of Rights |
| Key figures | Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The Founding Fathers bypassed state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government
- Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation
- The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787
- The Constitution became the official framework of the US government when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it
- The Massachusetts Compromise of February 1788 stipulated that amendments would be immediately proposed to protect rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press
The Founding Fathers bypassed state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government
The Founding Fathers were tasked with revising the existing government, but instead came up with a completely new one. They were aware that the Articles of Confederation, which had been America's first constitution, had given the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The Founding Fathers knew that the state legislatures would be reluctant to give up power to a national government, so they bypassed them. The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 states, with Delaware being the first to ratify it on 7 December 1787. The process was long and arduous, but the Founding Fathers were able to secure the votes needed to pass the Residence Act.
Challenges of Ratifying the Constitution: Why Was It So Hard?
You may want to see also
Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation
Alexander Hamilton played a key role in convincing Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation. Hamilton, along with James Madison and George Washington, feared that their young country was on the brink of collapse. The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention, recognising that the nation required a stronger, more centralised government.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the new Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but instead created a powerful central government. They bypassed the state legislatures, aware that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government.
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Several states opposed 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, addressed these concerns by stipulating that amendments—what became the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed.
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. After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections and the official implementation of the Constitution.
Federalist vs Anti-Federalist: Constitution Ratification Debate
You may want to see also
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787
The founding fathers faced a difficult task in getting the Constitution ratified. The Articles of Confederation, which had previously governed the country, had given the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, and couldn't print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart.
Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. The delegates who attended the convention came up with a completely new form of government, creating a powerful central government. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government.
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 on 21 June 1788.
The Power to Ratify Treaties
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Constitution became the official framework of the US government when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it
On 21 June 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the US government when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
The founding fathers were wary about centralised power and loyal to their states, so they created a powerful central government. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government.
The country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money. It quickly became clear to some of America’s leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government.
The Constitution's Ratification: Understanding America's Founding Document
You may want to see also
The Massachusetts Compromise of February 1788 stipulated that amendments would be immediately proposed to protect rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press
The founding fathers faced a difficult task in getting the Constitution ratified. The Articles of Confederation, which had served as America's first constitution, had given the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they came up with a completely new one. Wary about centralised power and loyal to their states, they created a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises.
The Massachusetts Compromise was a key step in the journey to ratification, which was a long and arduous process. The Constitution finally became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on 21 June 1788 when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
George Washington's Role in Ratifying the Constitution
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The founding fathers bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. They also struck deals with influential figures to gain votes.
The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The ninth state to ratify it was New Hampshire, on June 21, 1788, making it the official framework of the government of the United States of America.
They wanted to create a powerful central government, as they feared their young country was on the brink of collapse due to disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade.
![Founding Fathers [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71f9-HsS5nL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
