Simone Lawson
The U.S. Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the document. This was the culmination of a process that began in 1786, when the post-Revolutionary War Articles of Confederation were found to be lacking a central authority over foreign and domestic commerce. The new Constitution created a strong federal government with a system of checks and balances. However, the machinery of state had yet to be tested and put to use. The first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution in 1789, which became known as the Bill of Rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | June 21, 1788 |
| Number of states ratifying the Constitution | 9 |
| First state to ratify the Constitution | Delaware |
| Last state to ratify the Constitution | Rhode Island |
| Date government under the Constitution began | March 4, 1789 |
| Date of the first Congress of the United States | September 25, 1789 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution was ratified by nine states
After the Constitution was ratified, the machinery of state had been designed but not yet tested. 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 in September 1789. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Historical Perspective
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The first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments
On 21 June 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution of the United States, making it the law of the land. The first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution—the Bill of Rights—on 25 September 1789, and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791.
The 12 amendments were:
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom of the press
- The right to peaceably assemble
- The right to petition the government for a redress of grievances
- The right to keep and bear arms
- The right to a speedy and public trial
- The right to a trial by jury in civil cases
- The right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment
- The right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures
- The right to due process of law
- The right to a trial by jury in criminal cases
The Bill of Rights was designed to protect the basic political rights of citizens and ensure that the federal government did not overstep its bounds. It was a direct response to the criticisms of the Constitution that had been made by states such as Massachusetts, which had argued that the document failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of fundamental rights.
The Constitution: Ratification vs. Signing
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The machinery of state was designed but not yet tested
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 in 1789. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791. The provisions for the management of foreign affairs were put to the test in 1794 when the Senate had the opportunity to accept or reject a controversial treaty with Great Britain.
The Constitution's Ratification: A Debate's Conclusion
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The Constitution was ratified in Massachusetts, despite initial opposition
After the ratification of the Constitution in 1789, the machinery of state had been designed, but not yet tested and put to use. The provisions for management of foreign affairs would be put to the test in 1794, when the Senate had the opportunity to accept or reject the controversial treaty with Great Britain negotiated by John Jay. In 1789, the first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution—the Bill of Rights—and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791.
Women's Suffrage: A Constitutional Conundrum
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Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution
The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth and final necessary state to ratify it. Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, not joining the Union until May 1790.
The Constitution was ratified in quick succession by five states—Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut—beginning on December 7. However, other states, especially Massachusetts, opposed the document, as it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. In February 1788, a compromise was reached under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was thus narrowly ratified in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland and South Carolina. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document, and it was subsequently agreed that government under the U.S. Constitution would begin on March 4, 1789. In June, Virginia ratified the Constitution, followed by New York in July. North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the Constitution in November 1789.
Rhode Island, which opposed federal control of currency and was critical of the compromise on the issue of slavery, resisted ratifying the Constitution until the U.S. government threatened to sever commercial relations with the state. On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island voted by two votes to ratify the document, and the last of the original 13 colonies joined the United States.
How Washington's Election Influenced the Constitution's Ratification
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was ratified in 1788, and government under the U.S. Constitution began on March 4, 1789.
13 states ratified the Constitution.
Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut were the first five states to ratify the Constitution.
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, joining the Union in May 1790.
The first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution—the Bill of Rights—on September 25, 1789.
