Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth and final state to approve the document. The process of drafting the Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. The new Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 of the 41 delegates present, but it was agreed that the document would not be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, and the final state was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first meeting of Constitutional Convention | 25 May 1787 |
| Date of signing of the new U.S. Constitution | 17 September 1787 |
| Number of delegates present | 41 |
| Number of delegates who signed the new U.S. Constitution | 38 |
| First state to ratify the Constitution | Delaware |
| Date of Delaware's ratification | 7 December 1787 |
| Number of states required to ratify the Constitution | 9 |
| Date the Constitution became the law of the land | 21 June 1788 |
| Date of first federal elections | 15 December 1788 |
| Date of official implementation of the Constitution | 4 March 1789 |
| Date of first Congress of the United States adopting 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution | 25 September 1789 |
| Number of amendments ratified in 1791 | 10 |
| Date of Rhode Island's ratification | 29 May 1790 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention
The drafting of the US Constitution began on 25 May 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had been in place since the end of the Revolutionary War. By 1786, the Articles' defects were apparent, including the lack of a central authority over foreign and domestic commerce.
The convention was moderated by George Washington and lasted three months, ending on 17 September 1787. The new constitution created a strong federal government with a system of checks and balances. It was signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present.
Under Article VII, the document would not be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On 21 June 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution, making it the law of the land.
The first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution—the Bill of Rights—on 25 September 1789. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791. The final state to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island, which voted to do so on 29 May 1790.
The Federalist Papers: A Constitution Ratification Guide
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The signing of the new U.S. Constitution
The new Constitution created a strong federal government with an intricate system of checks and balances. It was agreed that the document would not be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratification, and they were assisted by John Jay in producing "The Federalist Papers", a series of 85 essays that explained and defended how the proposed new government would function.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, and it was followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution, thereby making the document the law of the land. The ratification process ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
Hancock's Influence: Massachusetts Constitution Ratification
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The Federalist Papers
The ratification of the US Constitution was led by Hamilton and James Madison, who produced 85 essays known as 'The Federalist Papers' that explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. The essays were published in newspapers nationwide.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Historical Turning Point
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The ratification of the Bill of Rights
Under Article VII, the document would only become binding once it had been ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and final necessary state to ratify the Constitution, making it the law of the land.
However, the Massachusetts Compromise of February 1788 stipulated that amendments—what became the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire. On September 25, 1789, the first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution—the Bill of Rights—and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791.
Rhode Island, which had resisted ratifying the Constitution due to its opposition to federal control of currency and criticism of compromise on slavery, finally voted to ratify the document on May 29, 1790, becoming the last of the original 13 colonies to join the United States.
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The first federal elections
The ratification of the US Constitution was a complex process that began on 25 September 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time to revise the Articles of Confederation. The new Constitution was signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present on 17 September 1787, after three months of debate. However, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on 7 December 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On 21 June 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and final necessary state to ratify the Constitution, making it the law of the land.
After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections, which were held from 15 December 1788 to 10 January 1789. The new government was set to begin on 4 March 1789, with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President.
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Frequently asked questions
The first event was the Constitutional Convention, which met for the first time on May 25, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation.
Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution.
The Massachusetts Compromise was reached in February 1788 and stipulated that amendments would be immediately proposed, which became the Bill of Rights.
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
