Eleanor Finch
Ratifying the constitution is the process of approving a proposed amendment to the constitution. The first steps in ratifying the new constitution occurred before and during the meeting of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. The delegates sent the nation's charter back to the American people for ratification, leaving the final decision to the American people, acting state-by-state through specially elected state ratifying conventions. Amendments to the Constitution may be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who ratifies the Constitution? | The American people, acting state-by-state through specially elected state ratifying conventions |
| Who proposes amendments? | Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses deem it necessary, or on the application of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several States |
| How are amendments ratified? | By the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three-fourths thereof |
| Who determines the method of ratification? | Congress |
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What You'll Learn
- The first steps in ratifying the new constitution occurred before and during the meeting of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787
- The framers of the Constitution left the final decision to the American people, who were free to say yes or no
- Amendments to the Constitution may be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States
- Amendments may also be ratified by Conventions in three-fourths of the several States
- Previous attempts to amend the Articles of Confederation had failed because of the requirement in the Articles for the unanimous approval of the state legislatures
The first steps in ratifying the new constitution occurred before and during the meeting of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787
Politically astute alternatives were proposed and utilized in ratifying the new Constitution. The delegates sent the nation's charter back to the American people for ratification, allowing them to say "yes" or "no". The framers believed that only the American people themselves had the authority to establish a new government.
The Constitution could be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three-fourths thereof, as proposed by Congress. Congress determines which of the two methods the states must use to ratify a particular proposed amendment. The first method of ratification requires three-fourths of the state legislatures to ratify an amendment to the Constitution.
Federalist Papers: A Powerful Tool for Constitution Ratification
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The framers of the Constitution left the final decision to the American people, who were free to say yes or no
When the Constitution was signed by the framers at the Constitutional Convention on 17 September 1787, it was a mere proposal. The framers sent the nation's charter back to the American people for ratification. So, even though the framers spent months hammering out a new framework of government, they left the final decision to the American people, who were free to say yes or no.
The framers' view was that only the American people themselves had the authority to tear up the Articles of Confederation and establish a new government. A widespread, uncoordinated campaign took place throughout the country to convince the people that the Articles of Confederation needed to be revised to maintain the Union. Previous attempts to amend the Articles of Confederation had failed because of the requirement in the Articles for the unanimous approval of the state legislatures. Without an alternative method of ratification, it was unlikely the Convention's proposal would be adopted. Consequently, politically astute alternatives were proposed and utilised in ratifying the new Constitution.
Amendments to the Constitution may be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress. Congress determines which of the two methods the states must use in order to ratify a particular proposed amendment. The first method of ratification requires three-fourths of the state legislatures to ratify an amendment to the Constitution.
The History of New Hampshire's Constitution Ratification
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Amendments to the Constitution may be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States
Ratifying the Constitution is a critical procedure. Amendments to the Constitution may be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States. This is the first method of ratification, which requires three-fourths of the state legislatures to ratify an amendment to the Constitution. The second method of ratification involves Conventions in three-fourths of the States. Congress determines which of the two methods the states must use in order to ratify a particular proposed amendment.
The Constitution was signed by the framers at the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787, but it was still a mere proposal. The delegates sent the nation's charter back to the American people for ratification. The framers believed that only the American people themselves had the authority to establish a new government.
Previous attempts to amend the Articles of Confederation had failed because of the requirement for the unanimous approval of the state legislatures. This meant that politically astute alternatives were proposed and utilized in ratifying the new Constitution. A widespread, uncoordinated campaign took place throughout the country to convince the people that the Articles of Confederation needed to be revised to maintain the Union.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Historical Perspective
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Amendments may also be ratified by Conventions in three-fourths of the several States
The first steps in ratifying the new constitution occurred before and during the meeting of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. A widespread, uncoordinated campaign took place throughout the country to convince the people that the Articles of Confederation needed to be revised to maintain the Union.
Amendments to the Constitution may be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress. Congress determines which of the two methods the states must use in order to ratify a particular proposed amendment. The first method of ratification requires three-fourths of the state legislatures to ratify an amendment to the Constitution.
The second method of ratification is by Conventions in three-fourths of the several States. This method was used to ratify the proposed new Constitution of 1787. Previous attempts to amend the Articles of Confederation had failed because of the requirement in the Articles for the unanimous approval of the state legislatures. Without an alternative method of ratification, it was unlikely the Convention’s proposal would have been adopted. Consequently, politically astute alternatives were proposed and utilized in ratifying the new Constitution.
The delegates sent the nation’s charter back to the American people for ratification. The framers spent months hammering out a new framework of government, but they left the final decision to the American people—acting state-by-state through specially elected state ratifying conventions. The American people were free to say “yes” or “no”. In the framers’ view, only the American people themselves had the authority to tear up the Articles of Confederation and establish a new government.
Texas Constitution: Ratification and Its Legacy
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Previous attempts to amend the Articles of Confederation had failed because of the requirement in the Articles for the unanimous approval of the state legislatures
The Constitution can be ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three-fourths thereof. Congress determines which of the two methods the states must use in order to ratify a particular proposed amendment.
In the 1780s, Congress attempted to amend the Articles of Confederation. Some of these efforts tried to empower Congress by granting it temporary powers to tax or to regulate commerce. However, these attempts failed to gain the necessary approval of all thirteen state legislatures.
The Articles of Confederation were practically impossible to amend. The Articles required unanimous consent to any amendment, so all thirteen states would need to agree on a change. Given the rivalries between the states, that rule made the Articles impossible to adapt after the war ended with Britain in 1783.
The first steps in ratifying the new constitution occurred before and during the meeting of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. A widespread, uncoordinated campaign took place throughout the country to convince the people that the Articles of Confederation needed to be revised to maintain the Union.
The Historic Year Massachusetts Ratified the US Constitution
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Frequently asked questions
Ratification is the process of approving a proposed amendment to the Constitution.
The American people can ratify the Constitution.
The American people can ratify the Constitution by voting "yes" or "no".
The first step in ratifying the Constitution is to propose amendments to the Constitution. This can be done by Congress or by the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several States.
Three-fourths of the state legislatures need to ratify an amendment to the Constitution.
