Simone Lawson
The ratification of the US Constitution was a long and complex process, with several compromises made along the way. One of the most significant was the Massachusetts Compromise, which was reached in February 1788 and stipulated that amendments would be proposed to protect rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. This compromise paved the way for the passage of the Bill of Rights. Another important compromise was the Great Compromise, which was adopted on July 16, 1787, and addressed the issue of representation in the House and the Senate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Compromise | February 1788 |
| Compromise Name | Massachusetts Compromise |
| Amendments | 17 proposed by Madison |
| Amendments Adopted | 12 |
| Amendments Ratified | 10 |
| Date of Ratification | 15 December 1791 |
| Date of First Federal Elections | 15 December 1788 |
| Date of New Government | 4 March 1789 |
| First President | George Washington |
| First Vice President | John Adams |
| Compromise Vote | Passed by a single vote |
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What You'll Learn
The Massachusetts Compromise
The Compromise was the result of significant debate and objection from Anti-Federalists, who argued that the consolidation of government power in a national Congress could destroy state legislative power. Madison introduced 17 amendments to the Constitution, of which Congress adopted 12 on September 25, 1789, to send to the states for ratification.
After the Compromise was reached, the Constitution was ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and, finally, New Hampshire. This allowed for the first federal elections to take place from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789, with the new government beginning on March 4, 1789. In these elections, George Washington was elected as the first President, with John Adams as Vice President.
Anti-Federalists' Reluctance to Ratify the Constitution
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The Great Compromise
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
During the state ratification debates that followed the Convention, one of the central objections from the Anti-Federalists was that the consolidation of government power in a national Congress could destroy state legislative power.
The Constitution: Ratification vs. Signing
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The Bill of Rights
The Massachusetts Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, was reached in February 1788. It stipulated that amendments would be proposed to protect certain rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press. These amendments became the Bill of Rights. The compromise secured ratification and paved the way for the passage of the Bill of Rights.
The Anti-Federalists, who objected to the consolidation of government power in a national Congress, were a key part of the state ratification debates. The Convention adopted the Great Compromise on July 16, 1787, by a single vote, with Madison and Wilson winning the fight over representation in the House but losing the battle over representation in the Senate.
Madison introduced 17 amendments to the Constitution as a result of the Massachusetts Compromise. Congress adopted 12 of these on September 25, 1789, and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. Rhode Island was the last state to approve the Constitution on May 29, 1790, and the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution at the end of the following year.
The Long Road to Ratification: America's Constitution
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Anti-Federalist opposition
The ratification of the US Constitution in 1789 was opposed by Anti-Federalists on several grounds. One of the central objections was that the consolidation of government power in a national Congress could destroy state legislative power. The Anti-Federalists were concerned that the Constitution, as it stood, did not provide adequate protection for certain rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press.
To address these concerns, the Massachusetts Compromise was reached in February 1788. This compromise stipulated that amendments would be proposed to protect these rights, which ultimately became the Bill of Rights. The compromise also secured ratification and paved the way for the passage of the Bill of Rights.
The Great Compromise, adopted on July 16, 1787, was another significant compromise that influenced the ratification process. This compromise addressed the issue of representation in the House and the Senate, with Madison and Wilson winning the fight for representation in the House but suffering a defeat in the Senate.
Despite these compromises, the Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights, which included ten amendments, was ratified on December 15, 1791, and became part of the Constitution.
Jefferson's Role: Ratifying the Constitution
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The Electoral College
The Constitution was ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire, following the Massachusetts Compromise, which stipulated that amendments would be proposed to protect rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. These amendments became the Bill of Rights, which was ratified on December 15, 1791.
The electors cast their votes for president and vice president, and the candidate who receives a majority of electoral votes wins the election. This system has sometimes led to a candidate winning the Electoral College vote but losing the popular vote, as each state's electoral votes are winner-takes-all, rather than being allocated proportionally. This has led to criticism that the Electoral College is undemocratic and does not accurately represent the will of the people.
James Madison's Role in Ratifying the Constitution
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Frequently asked questions
The Massachusetts Compromise was an agreement that the First Congress would consider the rights and other amendments it proposed. This was a compromise between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, with the latter concerned that the consolidation of government power in a national Congress could destroy state legislative power.
The Great Compromise was a compromise over representation in the House and Senate. Madison and Wilson won the fight over representation in the House, but they suffered a major defeat over representation in the Senate.
The Massachusetts Compromise secured ratification of the Constitution and paved the way for the passage of the Bill of Rights.
The Great Compromise was passed by a single vote and led to the method for selecting a president, the Electoral College.
