Malcolm Rivera
The ratification of the Constitution was a highly contested issue, with smaller states favouring it and larger states opposing it. Smaller states like Delaware believed that equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with larger states, and that a strong national government with an army would be better able to defend them than their state militias. On the other hand, larger states like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia had significant power to lose and did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them. They also disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. The Constitution created a standing army, which many Americans believed was antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty. The proposed government also held the power to tax, which was concerning to citizens who were used to annual elections and term limits.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Smaller states | Favoured the Constitution as it gave them equal representation in the Senate |
| Larger states | Less likely to ratify the Constitution as they had significant power to lose |
| First federal elections | December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789 |
| New government | March 4, 1789 |
| Standing army | Antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty |
| Power to tax | Concerning to citizens |
| Term limits | Senators (6 years), Representatives (2 years), President (4 years), all without term limits |
| Representation | Little representation |
| Citizens' rights | No guaranteed protections |
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What You'll Learn
The power of the federal government to defend smaller states
However, larger states had more power to lose and did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them. They also disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. As a result, supporters of the Constitution feared that states like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
The Constitution created a standing army, which many Americans at the time believed was antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty. The proposed government also held the power to tax, which was a concern for citizens used to the annual elections and term limits in the Confederation Congress. The Philadelphia plan proposed that senators would serve six-year terms, representatives two years, and the president four years, all without term limits. This raised concerns about the lack of representation and the massive new powers ceded from the formerly sovereign states.
Despite these concerns, the Constitution was ratified, and the first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789. The new government began on March 4, 1789, with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President. The Constitution continued to evolve, with Madison introducing 17 amendments born from the Massachusetts Compromise. Twelve of these amendments were adopted by Congress and sent to the states for ratification.
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The power of the federal government to tax
The Constitution was ratified in 1789, but the process was not straightforward. The Articles of Confederation and the Confederation Congress had rested on the consent of the states, so changes to the government should have been ratified by the state legislatures. However, the framers avoided asking the legislators to approve a document that would require them to give up some of their power. Instead, they called upon state legislatures to hold ratification conventions to approve the Constitution. The men attending the ratification conventions were delegates elected by their neighbours to represent their interests. They were not being asked to give up their power; they were being asked to place limits on the power of their state legislators.
Smaller states, like Delaware, favoured the Constitution. Equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with the larger states, and a strong national government with an army at its command would be better able to defend them than their state militias could. Larger states, however, had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government.
The new nation was to be a republic in which power was held by the people through their elected representatives, so it was considered appropriate to leave the ultimate acceptance or rejection of the Constitution to the people. The Constitution created a standing army, which most Americans at the time believed was antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty. The proposed government held the power to tax, which many found surprising considering their recent history. Citizens were used to annual elections and term limits in the Confederation Congress, and mandatory rotation of officeholders in their states, too. Under the Philadelphia plan, senators would serve six years, representatives two, and the president four—all without term limits. There was little representation, massive new powers ceded from the formerly sovereign states, and no guaranteed protections of citizens’ rights.
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The power of the federal government to command an army
The Constitution created a standing army, which many Americans believed was antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty. The federal government's power to tax was also a concern for many, given their recent history. Citizens were used to annual elections and term limits in the Confederation Congress, as well as the mandatory rotation of officeholders in their states. The Philadelphia plan proposed that senators would serve six-year terms, representatives two years, and the president four years, all without term limits. This raised concerns about the lack of representation and the massive new powers ceded from the formerly sovereign states.
The Constitution was eventually ratified, and the first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789. The new government began on March 4, 1789, with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President. The Constitution continued to evolve, with Madison introducing 17 amendments born from the Massachusetts Compromise. Congress adopted 12 of these amendments and sent them to the states for ratification.
The ratification of the Constitution was a complex process, with supporters and critics on both sides. Smaller states, like Delaware, favored the Constitution as it provided equal representation in the Senate, giving them a degree of equality with larger states. A strong national government with an army at its command would also be better equipped to defend them than their state militias. However, larger states had significant power to lose and did not believe they needed the federal government's defence. They also disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government.
The framers of the Constitution avoided asking state legislators to approve a document that would require them to give up power. Instead, they called upon state legislatures to hold ratification conventions, where delegates elected by their neighbours would represent their interests. These delegates were not being asked to relinquish their power but to place limits on the power of their state legislators.
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The power of the federal government to hold elections
The power to hold elections is a complex issue in the United States, with the federal government and individual states sharing responsibility. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the right to pass laws that regulate how states conduct federal elections, but it has done so sparingly. The Constitution establishes the basic parameters of federal elections, such as specifying how House seats are apportioned among the states based on the census.
The Elections Clause makes states primarily responsible for regulating congressional elections, but it vests ultimate power in Congress. Congress may pass federal laws regulating congressional elections that automatically displace any contrary state statutes, or enact its own regulations concerning aspects of elections that states may not have addressed. This was intended as a self-defence mechanism to prevent states from establishing unfair election procedures or attempting to undermine the national government by refusing to hold elections for Congress.
The federal government has significant authority to determine how federal elections are run, and may direct states to comply with federal requirements. This power would extend to nonfederal elections, over which Congress has little textual authority. However, the Constitution grants the Congress a purely secondary role to alter or create election laws only in extreme cases of invasion, legislative neglect, or obstinate refusal to pass election laws.
The Constitution, which was ratified by state legislatures, created a standing army and gave the government the power to tax, which many Americans found antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty. The proposed government also lacked term limits and had little representation, with massive new powers ceded from the formerly sovereign states.
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The power of the federal government to limit the power of state legislators
The Constitution created a standing army, which many Americans at the time believed was antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty. The proposed government also held the power to tax, which many found surprising considering their recent history. Citizens were used to annual elections and term limits in the Confederation Congress, and mandatory rotation of officeholders in their states. Under the Philadelphia plan, senators would serve six years, representatives two, and the president four—all without term limits. There was little representation, massive new powers ceded from the formerly sovereign states, and no guaranteed protections of citizens' rights.
However, smaller states, like Delaware, favoured the Constitution. Equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with the larger states, and a strong national government with an army at its command would be better able to defend them than their state militias could. Larger states, on the other hand, had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. Thus, supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections and the official implementation of the Constitution. Elections were set to take place from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday, January 10, 1789, and the new government was set to begin on March 4, 1789. In the nation’s first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President. Congress was also restructured to reflect the system of representation created by the Connecticut Compromise at the Constitutional Convention.
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Frequently asked questions
Smaller states, like Delaware, favoured the Constitution as it would give them equal representation in the Senate.
Larger states, like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, had significant power to lose and were not in favour of ratifying the Constitution. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government.
The new government was set to begin on March 4, 1789, with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President.
The Constitution created a standing army, which many believed was antithetical to republican government and citizens' liberty. The proposed government held the power to tax, and there was little representation, massive new powers ceded from the formerly sovereign states, and no guaranteed protections of citizens' rights.
