Malcolm Rivera
The U.S. Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process, with the first state to ratify the Constitution being Delaware on December 7, 1787. The Confederation Congress endorsed the initiative, and representatives from all 13 states were subsequently invited to convene in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, to participate in the Convention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | June 21, 1788 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware, December 7, 1787 |
| Number of states to ratify | 9 of 13 |
| Date of full ratification by all states | May 29, 1790 |
| Date of Bill of Rights ratification | December 15, 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
- The U.S. Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788
- Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution
- The Bill of Rights was ratified on 15 December 1791
- The Constitution was not ratified by all states until 29 May 1790
- The Articles of Confederation governed the country until the Constitution was ratified
The U.S. Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788
Even after the Constitution’s ratification, the U.S. did not begin to look and function remotely like it does today until several years later. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until 29 May 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
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Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution
The U.S. Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. However, the first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware, on 7 December 1787. This was followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. Until the new Constitution was ratified, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. This document was tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries. It quickly became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government. New York's Alexander Hamilton thus led the call for a constitutional convention to re-evaluate the nation's governing document. The Confederation Congress endorsed his initiative, and representatives from all 13 states were subsequently invited to convene in Philadelphia on 25 May 1787, to participate in the Convention.
Madison introduced 17 amendments to the Constitution born from the Massachusetts Compromise, of which Congress adopted 12 on 25 September 1789, to send forth to the states for ratification. Ten of those amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on 15 December 1791. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until 29 May 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
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The Bill of Rights was ratified on 15 December 1791
The US Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787. The Bill of Rights, consisting of ten amendments, was ratified on 15 December 1791.
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. Until the new Constitution was ratified, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. It quickly became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government. New York's Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. The Confederation Congress endorsed his initiative, and representatives from all 13 states were invited to convene in Philadelphia on 25 May 1787.
Madison introduced 17 amendments to the Constitution, of which Congress adopted 12 on 25 September 1789, to send forth to the states for ratification. The Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year. The US did not begin to look and function remotely like it does today until several years later.
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The Constitution was not ratified by all states until 29 May 1790
The U.S. Constitution was ratified on 21 June 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. However, it was not ratified by all states until 29 May 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The Confederation Congress endorsed Alexander Hamilton's initiative for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document. Representatives from all 13 states were invited to convene in Philadelphia on 25 May 1787. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
Even after the Constitution’s ratification, the U.S. did not begin to look and function remotely like it does today until several years later. The Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of 1791.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Historical Perspective
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The Articles of Confederation governed the country until the Constitution was ratified
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. However, it wasn't until Rhode Island approved the document on 29 May 1790 that all states had ratified the Constitution.
Even after the Constitution's ratification, the US did not begin to look and function as it does today until several years later. The Bill of Rights, consisting of ten amendments, was ratified on 15 December 1791.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787.
Nine states had ratified the Constitution by June 21, 1788.
The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791.
