Jonah Patel
The ratification of the US Constitution was a long and arduous process. In June 1788, only eight of 13 colonies had ratified the future United States Constitution. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, which was the number of states required to implement the Constitution among the ratifying states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of colonies needed to ratify the constitution | 9 |
| Number of colonies that had ratified the constitution by June 1788 | 8 |
| Number of colonies that had not ratified the constitution by June 1788 | 5 |
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What You'll Learn
The 13 colonies
In 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft articles of confederation. The final draft was submitted to the state legislatures in November 1777 for their unanimous approval. Seven states ratified the Articles quickly, but it took three and a half years to get approval from all the state legislatures.
In 1787, the Constitutional Convention was held to reevaluate the nation’s governing document. The delegates decided that nine states would be appropriate to implement the Constitution among the ratifying states. This was because nine was the number of states necessary in the Confederation Congress to adopt important matters such as borrowing money, declaring war, ratifying treaties, and admitting new states into the Union.
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 nine states required to ratify the Constitution
The United States Constitution was ratified in 1788 when nine states agreed to adopt it. The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. In 1783, a convention revised New Hampshire's "temporary" constitution of 1776, and the freemen followed Massachusetts' example by ratifying it in town meetings. In June 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft articles of confederation. The final draft was submitted to the state legislatures in November 1777 for their unanimous approval. Seven states ratified the Articles quickly, but it took three and a half years to get approval from all the state legislatures.
Between 1781 and 1787, Congress proposed and the states considered half a dozen amendments to the Articles to strengthen the powers of Congress. The delegates felt it necessary to obtain majorities of both states and people. Ratification by seven small states might not provide a majority of people. On August 31, the delegates decided (by a vote of eight states to three) that nine states would be appropriate to implement the Constitution among the ratifying states. Nine was the number of states necessary in the Confederation Congress to adopt important matters such as borrowing money, declaring war, ratifying treaties, and admitting new states into the Union.
The advocates of the new Constitution realised that the new Government could not succeed without the addition of New York and Virginia, neither of which had ratified. Until the new Constitution was ratified, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. That document was tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries, and it quickly became clear to some of America’s leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government. New York’s Alexander Hamilton thus led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation’s governing document.
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The Articles of Confederation
In 1783, a convention revised New Hampshire's "temporary" constitution of 1776, and the freemen followed Massachusetts' example by ratifying it in town meetings. Between 1781 and 1787, Congress proposed and the states considered half a dozen amendments to the Articles to strengthen the powers of Congress.
How Federalist Papers Influenced the Constitution's Ratification
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The Constitutional Convention
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. In 1783, a convention revised New Hampshire’s “temporary” constitution of 1776, and the freemen followed Massachusetts’ example by ratifying it in town meetings. In June 1776, the Second Continental Congress appointed a committee to draft articles of confederation. The final draft was submitted to the state legislatures in November 1777 for their unanimous approval. Seven states ratified the Articles quickly while also submitting proposed amendments to the Articles. Congress rejected all of the proposed amendments. It took three and a half years to ratify the Articles because of the requirement of the unanimous approval of the state legislatures. Between 1781 and 1787, Congress proposed and the states considered half a dozen amendments to the Articles to strengthen the powers of Congress.
In June 1788, only eight of 13 colonies had ratified a future United States Constitution. 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 Evolution of Constitutional Ratification
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The journey to ratification
Between 1781 and 1787, Congress proposed and the states considered half a dozen amendments to the Articles to strengthen the powers of Congress. However, it became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government. New York's Alexander Hamilton thus led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document.
The delegates at the convention knew that the unanimity requirement of the Articles would doom any hopes of ratification. They felt it necessary to obtain majorities of both states and people. Ratification by seven small states might not provide a majority of people. On August 31, the delegates decided (by a vote of eight states to three) that nine states would be appropriate to implement the Constitution among the ratifying states. Nine was the number of states necessary in the Confederation Congress to adopt important matters such as borrowing money, declaring war, ratifying treaties, and admitting new states into the Union.
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 Historic Year Massachusetts Ratified the US Constitution
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Frequently asked questions
Nine states were needed to ratify the US Constitution.
Eight of the 13 colonies had ratified the US Constitution by June 1788.
New Hampshire was the ninth colony to ratify the US Constitution.
Rhode Island and New York had not ratified the US Constitution.
