Isabella Carter
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures. The signing took place at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, which had met between May and September of 1787. The Constitution was then submitted to Congress and the states for ratification. The document was not ratified by all 13 states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved it, and it came into effect in 1789.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of signers | 39 |
| Date of submission to Congress | September 20, 1787 |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 out of 13 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware, December 7, 1787 |
| Date of ratification by required number of states | 1789 |
| Date of ratification by all states | May 29, 1790 |
| Date of ratification of the Bill of Rights | End of 1791 |
| Date of designation of the capital | January 24, 1791 |
| Date of ratification of the Residence Act | July 16, 1790 |
| Number of states required for ratification of the Child Labor Amendment | 36 out of 48 |
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What You'll Learn
Ratification by 9 of 13 states
The United States Constitution was created to replace the failing Articles of Confederation, which had gone into effect on March 1, 1781. By 1787, it had become clear that the Articles of Confederation were not viable in the long term, as they allowed states to act more like independent, sovereign countries.
The Confederation Congress called a convention of state delegates in Philadelphia in 1787 to propose revisions to the Articles. The convention was intended to "render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government and the preservation of the Union". The proposal might take effect when approved by Congress and the states.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The document was signed by 38 out of 41 delegates present on September 17, 1787, and was then submitted to Congress.
Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would only become binding once it had been ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787. This was 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, stipulated that amendments would be made to this effect, which later became the Bill of Rights.
New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788, and the new Constitution went into effect on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
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The Federalists' campaign for a strong central government
The Federalists, a coalition of nationalists led by George Washington, advocated for a strong central government. They believed that the Articles of Confederation had resulted in a weak national government that was unable to meet the needs of the country. Washington, a committed nationalist, had written several private letters by 1780, calling for an overhaul of the government.
Alexander Hamilton, a leading Federalist, played a crucial role in the campaign for a strong central government. He wrote a series of 85 essays, known as "The Federalist Papers," along with James Madison and John Jay, to explain and defend the proposed new government. These essays were published in newspapers nationwide and stressed the need for an adequate central government. Hamilton also formed connections with like-minded nationalists, merchants, and bankers to build a nationwide coalition, which became the Federalist Party.
The Federalists proposed a new plan of government, which included a separation of powers into three branches: legislative, judicial, and executive. They advocated for a strong chief executive, a national bank insured by the central government, and a bicameral legislature. Hamilton, a key figure in shaping these policies, proposed funding the national and state debts, establishing a national bank, and providing heavy government subsidies.
The Federalist Party found support in cities, particularly among merchants and bankers, while their opponents, the Anti-Federalists, found support in rural areas and among farmers. The Federalists were strongest in New England and controlled both houses of Congress, the presidency, and several state legislatures and governorships during their peak. They were successful in getting John Adams elected as president in 1796, but internal divisions and their aversion to political compromise contributed to their loss of power after 1801.
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The Anti-Federalists' opposition to a powerful central government
The Anti-Federalists were a diverse group, including small farmers, landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. They were chiefly concerned with too much power being invested in the national government, which they believed would threaten individual liberties and the sovereignty of the states, localities, and individuals. They wanted strong state governments, a weak central government, and the direct election of government officials. They also wanted short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties. In foreign affairs, they were pro-French.
The Anti-Federalists also believed that the proposed lower house of the legislature would have so few members that only elites would be elected. They feared that these representatives would not truly know their constituents and, with their increased fiscal authority, would pass oppressive taxes and create a standing national army. They also believed that a large central government would not serve the interests of small towns and rural areas, as opposed to the urban interests that most Federalist delegates aligned with.
The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the Constitution was a powerful force in the origin of the Bill of Rights, which was created to protect Americans' civil liberties. Their opposition led to the adoption of the First Amendment and the other nine amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights. The Anti-Federalists published a series of articles and delivered numerous speeches against the ratification of the Constitution, known collectively as The Anti-Federalist Papers.
The Constitution was finally ratified on May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document, and the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution at the end of the following year.
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The Massachusetts Compromise
The Massachusetts ratifying convention met in Boston from January 8, 1788, to February 5, 1788, to discuss the adoption of the federal Constitution. 370 delegates had been elected on October 25, 1787, and when the final vote was taken on February 3, 355 registered their vote. The Anti-Federalists had been mounting a formidable campaign, with Agrippa from Massachusetts publishing 11 Letters "to the people" and five essays "to the Massachusetts convention" by February 5. Despite this, the vote was at least even and may have been tilted toward the Anti-Federalists.
Two noted Anti-Federalists, John Hancock and Samuel Adams, helped negotiate a compromise. The Anti-Federalists agreed to support ratification, with the understanding that they would put forth recommendations for amendments should the document go into effect. The Federalists agreed to support the proposed amendments, specifically a bill of rights. Following this compromise, Massachusetts voted to ratify the Constitution on February 6, 1788. This compromise secured the victory for the proponents of the Constitution, as roughly 10 delegates changed their minds, ensuring ratification by a vote of 187-168.
Five states subsequently voted for ratification, four of which followed the Massachusetts model of recommending amendments along with their ratification. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution. Madison introduced 17 amendments to the Constitution, born from the Massachusetts Compromise, of which Congress adopted 12 on September 25, 1789, to send forth to the states for ratification. Ten of those amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
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The signing and unanimous support
The signing of the United States Constitution took place on September 17, 1787, with 39 delegates appending their signatures to the document. This marked the culmination of months of deliberations and negotiations among the delegates, who had assembled in Philadelphia in May of the same year with the initial aim of revising the Articles of Confederation. However, as the convention progressed, the goal evolved into crafting a new constitution that would establish a stronger federal government.
The signing of the Constitution was preceded by intense discussions and compromises on various contentious issues, including congressional representation and the contentious matter of slavery. The delegates crafted a government model that divided federal authority among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, aiming to address the shortcomings of the weak central government under the Articles of Confederation.
The advocates of the Constitution sought unanimous support from all twelve states represented at the convention. Their formula for the closing endorsement reflected this aspiration: "Done in Convention, by the unanimous consent of the States present." Ultimately, eleven state delegations and the lone remaining delegate from New York, Alexander Hamilton, agreed to the proposal.
Within just three days of its signing, the Constitution was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City, the nation's temporary capital at the time. The ratification process then commenced, with Delaware becoming the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787. The road to achieving the required number of ratifications was not without challenges, as Federalists and Anti-Federalists engaged in a heated debate over the merits of the Constitution.
The Federalists, who advocated for a strong central government, successfully lobbied for votes in favour of ratification. They were opposed by the Anti-Federalists, who viewed the Constitution as creating a centralised authority reminiscent of the one they had overthrown and criticised its lack of a bill of rights. The "vote now, amend later" compromise played a pivotal role in securing victory in Massachusetts and, eventually, in the final holdout states.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia met between May and September of 1787 to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation. The final draft, presented to the convention on September 12, was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787.
Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 existing states.
The Constitution came into effect in 1789 after the necessary number of state ratifications.
The Constitution was not ratified by all 13 states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
