Isabella Carter
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the US Constitution, despite playing a key role in advancing it. The state was strongly opposed to the expansion of the national government, and its residents saw the Constitution as a threat. Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, and it finally ratified the document on May 29, 1790, more than a year after it went into effect.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | May 29, 1790 |
| Position in the Union | 13th state |
| Previous stance on the Constitution | Strongly opposed |
| Number of proposed amendments to the Constitution when Rhode Island ratified | 12 |
| Rhode Island's stance on federal taxes | Against |
| Rhode Island's stance on the slave trade | Against |
| Rhode Island's stance on the Constitution as a whole | Wanted to limit federal power |
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What You'll Learn
- Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution
- The state attached a list of 18 human rights and 21 amendments with its ratification
- Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention
- The state's large Quaker population was offended by provisions on the slave trade
- Rhode Island played a key role in advancing the Constitution it strongly opposed
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution
Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, which approved the document on 17 September 1787. The state's large Quaker population was offended by provisions on the slave trade, while the Federalists' scorn for the state's "excess of democracy made its residents see the Constitution as a threat. Nearly a dozen conventions that had been called in Rhode Island to ratify the constitution failed to do so, often by wide margins; in one instance, 92% of the delegates voted against ratification.
When Rhode Island finally ratified the Constitution, it did so by a narrow margin of 34 to 32. The state attached a list of 18 human rights and 21 amendments with its ratification, requesting a ban on poll taxes, the draft, the importation of slaves, and, curiously, for Congress not to "interfere with any one of the States in the redemption of paper money".
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The state attached a list of 18 human rights and 21 amendments with its ratification
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, more than a year after it went into effect. This was ironic because the state had played a key role in advancing the Constitution, despite strongly opposing it. Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, and it was also the only state to attach a list of 18 human rights and 21 amendments with its ratification. These included a ban on poll taxes, the draft, the importation of slaves, and a request for Congress not to interfere with the states' redemption of paper money.
Rhode Island's late arrival to ratify the Constitution came after the new federal government commenced on April 1, 1789, and the First Congress (1789-1791) had already passed 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution. The state's large Quaker population was offended by provisions on the slave trade, while the Federalists' scorn for the state's "excess of democracy" made its residents see the Constitution as a threat. Nearly a dozen conventions that had been called in Rhode Island to ratify the constitution failed to do so, often by wide margins.
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Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, more than a year after it went into effect. It was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, which approved the document on September 17, 1787. Rhode Island's late arrival came after the new federal government commenced on April 1, 1789, and the First Congress (1789–1791) had already passed 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution.
Rhode Island's ratification of the Constitution was ironic because the state had played a key role in advancing the Constitution it strongly opposed. In 1786, an electoral revolution took place in Rhode Island that swept the populist Country Party into power. Infuriated by the prospect of a national tax, this faction opposed the expansion of the national government and favoured an inflationary monetary policy. The state's large Quaker population was also offended by provisions on the slave trade, while the Federalists' scorn for the state's "excess of democracy" made its residents see the Constitution as a threat. Nearly a dozen conventions that had been called in Rhode Island to ratify the constitution failed to do so, often by wide margins; in one instance, 92% of the delegates voted against ratification.
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The state's large Quaker population was offended by provisions on the slave trade
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, doing so reluctantly on 29 May 1790, more than a year after it went into effect. The state attached a list of 18 human rights and 21 amendments with its ratification, requesting a ban on poll taxes, the draft, and the importation of slaves.
The state's large Quaker population was particularly opposed to the Constitution's provisions on the slave trade. Quakers are known for their commitment to social justice and equality, and many Quakers in Rhode Island were active in the abolitionist movement. They saw the Constitution's compromise on the slave trade as a betrayal of the nation's founding principles of liberty and equality.
The ratification of the Constitution by Rhode Island was a significant moment in the history of the United States. It marked the end of the state's efforts to defy the national government and the beginning of its participation in the federal union. Despite their initial opposition, the people of Rhode Island eventually came to accept the Constitution as the official governing document of the United States.
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Rhode Island played a key role in advancing the Constitution it strongly opposed
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, more than a year after it went into effect. This was ironic, as Rhode Island played a key role in advancing the Constitution it strongly opposed.
In 1786, an electoral revolution took place in Rhode Island that swept the populist Country Party into power. Infuriated by the prospect of a national tax, this faction opposed the expansion of the national government and favoured an inflationary monetary policy. The state's large Quaker population was also offended by provisions on the slave trade, while the Federalists' scorn for the state's "excess of democracy made its residents see the Constitution as a threat. Nearly a dozen conventions that had been called in Rhode Island to ratify the constitution failed to do so, often by wide margins; in one instance, 92% of the delegates voted against ratification.
Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, which approved the document on September 17, 1787. Nine states were needed to ratify the Constitution, and on June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official governing document of the United States when New Hampshire ratified it. Rhode Island finally ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, by a vote of 34 to 32. The state attached a list of 18 human rights and 21 amendments with its ratification, requesting a ban on poll taxes, the draft, the importation of slaves, and, curiously, for Congress not to "interfere with any one of the States in the redemption of paper money".
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Frequently asked questions
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, despite playing a key role in advancing it.
Rhode Island was infuriated by the prospect of a national tax and feared direct federal taxes. The state also had a large Quaker population who were offended by provisions on the slave trade.
The populist Country Party, which swept to power in an electoral revolution in 1786, opposed the expansion of the national government and favoured an inflationary monetary policy.
No, Rhode Island was the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, which approved the document on September 17, 1787.
Rhode Island ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, by a vote of 34 to 32.
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