Jonah Patel
The US Constitution was ratified in 1787, with nine of the original thirteen states needing to ratify it for it to be considered accepted. The votes for ratification varied across the states, with Delaware voting 30 for and 0 against, and North Carolina voting 194 for and 77 against. The Constitution was ratified almost three years after it was first signed by 38 out of 41 delegates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of ratifications required | 9 out of 13 states |
| Number of delegates signing the Constitution | 38 out of 41 |
| Number of states that eventually ratified the Constitution | 13 |
| Time taken to ratify the Constitution | 3 months |
| Time taken to designate land for construction of the capital | Almost 3 years |
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What You'll Learn
- The Constitution required nine ratifications from the original 13 states to be considered accepted
- The votes of each state varied, with Delaware voting 30 for and 0 against, and North Carolina voting 194 for and 77 against
- The minimum requirement for ratification was met on June 21, 1788
- The Constitution was ratified on January 24, 1791, almost three years after it was first agreed
- The amendment process is very difficult and time-consuming, requiring two-thirds of both houses of Congress to pass an amendment, and then three-fourths of the states to ratify it
The Constitution required nine ratifications from the original 13 states to be considered accepted
The process of ratification began on 28 September 1787, when the Congress agreed to send the Constitution to the states for debate and ratification. Delaware was the first state to ratify, doing so on 7 December 1787 with a vote of 30 for and 0 against. Maryland followed on 28 April 1788, with a vote of 63 for and 11 against. South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island all ratified in 1788 or 1789.
The amendment process is very difficult and time-consuming. A proposed amendment must be passed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress, then ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states.
Challenges of Ratifying the Constitution: Why Was It So Hard?
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The votes of each state varied, with Delaware voting 30 for and 0 against, and North Carolina voting 194 for and 77 against
The Constitution specified that nine of the original thirteen states needed to ratify it for it to be considered accepted. The votes of each state varied, with Delaware voting 30 for and 0 against, and North Carolina voting 194 for and 77 against. Some states ratified quickly, while others had to hold several conventions to accept the Constitution. For example, North Carolina's convention adjourned without ratifying in 1788, with 185 voting in favour of adjournment and 84 opposed. It was not until 1789 that North Carolina ratified the Constitution.
Benjamin Franklin's Strategies for Ratifying the Constitution
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The minimum requirement for ratification was met on June 21, 1788
The minimum requirement for ratification of the US Constitution was met on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document. The Constitution specified that nine ratifications would be sufficient to consider the Constitution accepted.
The Constitution was created in Philadelphia in 1787, and the original thirteen states were invited to ratify it. Some states ratified quickly, while others had to hold several conventions to accept the Constitution. Delaware was the first state to ratify, on December 7, 1787, with a unanimous vote of 30 for and 0 against. Maryland followed on April 28, 1788, with 63 votes for and 11 against. South Carolina ratified on May 23, 1788, with 149 for and 73 against. New Hampshire's vote of 57 for and 47 against pushed the Constitution over the line, with Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island ratifying in the following months.
The ratification process was not without its challenges. While some states ratified the Constitution quickly, others, like North Carolina, took longer and required multiple conventions. The process of amending the Constitution is also challenging, requiring a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures.
The Preamble's Role in Constitution Ratification
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The Constitution was ratified on January 24, 1791, almost three years after it was first agreed
The US Constitution was ratified on January 24, 1791, almost three years after it was first agreed. Ratification required the approval of nine of the 13 existing states. Some states ratified quickly, while others had to hold several conventions to accept the Constitution.
The first state to ratify was Delaware, which voted 30 for and 0 against on December 7, 1787. Maryland followed on April 28, 1788, with 63 votes for and 11 against. South Carolina ratified on May 23, 1788, with 149 votes for and 73 against. New Hampshire's vote on June 21, 1788, was 57 for and 47 against. Virginia ratified on June 25, 1788, with 89 for and 79 against. New York ratified on July 26, 1788, with 30 for and 27 against. North Carolina's convention adjourned without ratifying on August 2, 1788, with 185 in favour of adjournment and 84 opposed. However, the state later ratified on November 21, 1789, with 194 for and 77 against. Rhode Island was the final state to ratify, doing so on May 29, 1790.
The ratification process was challenging, and Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts to secure votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. They were assisted by John Jay, and together they produced "The Federalist Papers", a collection of 85 essays explaining and defending the proposed new government's function.
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The amendment process is very difficult and time-consuming, requiring two-thirds of both houses of Congress to pass an amendment, and then three-fourths of the states to ratify it
The amendment process is very difficult and time-consuming. To pass an amendment, two-thirds of both houses of Congress must approve it, and then three-fourths of the states must ratify it. This process can take a long time, as evidenced by the fact that it took almost three years to ratify the Constitution.
The Constitution was ratified by the original thirteen states in the United States. The Constitution specified that nine ratifications would be sufficient to consider the Constitution accepted. Some states ratified quickly, while others held several conventions before accepting the Constitution.
The process of ratifying the Constitution was not an easy one. It took several months of lobbying and explaining how the proposed new government would function. Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. With assistance from John Jay, they produced the 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers".
The amendment process is similarly challenging. It requires a proposed amendment to be passed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress. This is a high bar to clear, as it requires significant support from both chambers of the legislative branch. However, the process does not end there. After passing Congress, the amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. This ensures that any changes to the Constitution reflect the will of the people in a majority of states.
Federalists' Push: Ratifying the Constitution
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution needed nine ratifications out of 13 existing states to be ratified.
Delaware voted 30 for, 0 against.
Maryland voted 63 for, 11 against.
South Carolina voted 149 for, 73 against.
New Hampshire voted 57 for, 47 against.
