Simone Lawson
The ratification of the US Constitution was a long and arduous process, with fierce debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, argued for a strong central government, while Anti-Federalists opposed the concentration of power and demanded a Bill of Rights. The delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 aimed to revise the Articles of Confederation but ultimately created a new form of government. The Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, and the ratification process began, requiring nine of the 13 states to approve. The first state to ratify was Delaware, followed by others, but the process faced significant opposition. The compromise in Massachusetts, which included a promise to propose amendments for a Bill of Rights, was crucial. New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify on June 21, 1788, making the Constitution the official framework of the US government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | 21 June 1788 |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 out of 13 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware |
| Date of first state ratification | 7 December 1787 |
| States that quickly followed | Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut |
| States that voiced opposition | Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina |
| Date of Massachusetts ratification | 6 February 1788 |
| Date of election | 15 December 1788 to 10 January 1789 |
| Date new government was set to begin | 4 March 1789 |
| First President | George Washington |
| First Vice President | John Adams |
| Date of full ratification | 29 May 1790 |
| Date Bill of Rights was ratified | 15 December 1791 |
| Date the capital was set | 16 July 1790 |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was completed on November 15, 1777, and submitted to the states for ratification in late November 1777. The first state to ratify was Virginia on December 16, 1777. 12 states had ratified the Articles by February 1779, 14 months into the process. The lone holdout, Maryland, refused to go along until the landed states, especially Virginia, had indicated they were prepared to cede their claims west of the Ohio River to the Union. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on February 2, 1781, and Congress was informed of Maryland's assent on March 1, officially proclaiming the Articles of Confederation to be the law of the land.
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The Federalist Papers
The purpose of The Federalist Papers was to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States and to explain and defend how the proposed new government would function. The essays were written in response to criticism of the new Constitution by Anti-Federalists, who argued that it created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights. The Federalist Papers explained particular provisions of the Constitution in detail, urging New Yorkers to ratify the proposed Constitution over the existing Articles of Confederation.
The high demand for the essays led to their publication in a more permanent form. The first 36 essays were published as a bound volume titled "The Federalist Volume 1" on March 22, 1788. New essays continued to be published in newspapers, and a second bound volume containing essays 37-77 and the previously unpublished essays 78-85 was released on May 28, 1788. The last eight essays were republished in New York newspapers between June 14 and August 16, 1788.
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The Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to approve the document. The road to ratification was long and challenging, with disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatening to tear the young nation apart.
James Madison, initially an opponent of the Bill of Rights, became its author and strongest advocate. He introduced a list of amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, on June 8, 1789, to address the concerns of the Anti-Federalists. Madison's amendments focused on rights-related changes, avoiding structural alterations to the government.
On September 25, 1789, the First Congress of the United States proposed 12 amendments to the Constitution, with 10 of them becoming the Bill of Rights. These amendments were ratified on December 15, 1791, and became an integral part of the Constitution, ensuring the protection of individual liberties and shaping the future of the nation.
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The role of state conventions
The road to ratifying the U.S. Constitution was a long and arduous process. The delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 were tasked with revising the existing government under the Articles of Confederation, but they ended up drafting a new constitution that proposed a powerful central government. This sparked a fierce national debate between Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and Anti-Federalists, who opposed it.
The Anti-Federalists argued that the Constitution did not include a Bill of Rights and adequately protect individual liberties and states' rights. The Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, countered that the Constitution provided necessary checks and balances to prevent any branch of government from becoming too powerful. They produced "The Federalist Papers," a series of 85 essays published in newspapers nationwide, to explain and defend the proposed government.
The ratification campaign was intense, with significant opposition in several states. Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The tide turned in Massachusetts, where Federalists secured ratification by promising to support amendments for a Bill of Rights. This "vote now, amend later" compromise helped secure victory and influenced the final holdout states.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, ensuring it would go into effect. However, key states like Virginia and New York had yet to ratify, and their participation was crucial for the legitimacy of the new government. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island, notably absent from the Constitutional Convention, finally approved the document.
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The Massachusetts Compromise
The Massachusetts ratifying convention, held in Boston from January 8, 1788, to February 5, 1788, was a pivotal moment in this debate. The Anti-Federalists had been mounting a strong campaign against immediate ratification, publishing letters and essays to sway public opinion. However, the Massachusetts Compromise, proposed by Hancock and supported by Adams, offered a middle ground: "ratify now, amend later." This compromise acknowledged the concerns of the Anti-Federalists and agreed that amendments, including a Bill of Rights, would be proposed immediately after ratification.
The compromise was a turning point as it secured the support of Massachusetts for ratification, which was crucial for the Federalists' efforts. Massachusetts' influence as an early adopter encouraged other states to follow suit. The compromise also led to the adoption of the first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, which addressed concerns about individual rights and liberties. This compromise demonstrated a willingness to find common ground and ensured that the Constitution could be ratified and implemented.
Following the Massachusetts Compromise, Massachusetts voted to ratify the Constitution on February 6, 1788, becoming a pivotal moment in the journey towards establishing the United States of America. The compromise's influence extended beyond Massachusetts, as four additional states followed its model, recommending amendments alongside their ratification votes. This consensus-building approach played a pivotal role in ensuring the Constitution's ratification and shaping the foundational principles of the nation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Federalists, who supported the ratification, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it, had differing views on the central government and individual liberties. The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary, while the Anti-Federalists were wary of giving up state power. The Federalists also argued for the protection of individual liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, which were not explicitly protected in the initial Constitution.
The terms of the Massachusetts Compromise, reached in February 1788, stipulated that amendments would be proposed to address these concerns, which became the Bill of Rights.
The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 states by June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the final state needed to enact the new government. However, it was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document. The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791.
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