Unusual Constitution Ratification: A Historical Perspective

The ratification of the US Constitution was a highly contentious process. The final draft of the Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on 17 September 1787, but it was far from smooth sailing from there. The Constitution had to be ratified by at least nine of the 13 states to take effect, and this sparked an intense national debate between Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Anti-Federalists raised concerns about the lack of a Bill of Rights, and the fact that the Constitution did not guarantee protection of individual liberties.

Explore related products

Ratification: The People Debate the Constitution, 1787-1788

$13.2 $24

The Writing and Ratification of the U.S. Constitution: Practical Virtue in Action

$52.43 $59

Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution

$17.05 $18.95

An Anti-Federalist Constitution: The Development of Dissent in the Ratification Debates (American Political Thought)

$27.3 $42.99

The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, Volume 10: Ratification of the Constitution by the States: Virginia, No. 3 (Volume 10)

$95

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

$4.95 $5.99

The ratification process sparked an intense national debate between Federalists and Anti-Federalists

The debate was particularly intense in Massachusetts, where Anti-Federalists successfully secured ratification by promising to support amendments addressing their concerns once the Constitution was adopted. By June 1788, eight states had ratified the Constitution, with Delaware being the first to do so unanimously on December 7, 1787. Pennsylvania and New Jersey followed with relatively little opposition.

The ratification process was far from smooth, with significant opposition in several states. The Constitution was seen as a reversal of democratizing impulses, requiring legislators to give up a degree of their own power. The framers of the Constitution avoided asking the legislators to approve a document that would reduce their power by calling upon state legislatures to hold ratification conventions. The delegates attending these conventions were elected by their neighbours to represent their interests and place limits on the power of state legislators.

The debates over ratification were rancorous and momentous, reflecting the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the process. The controversy surrounding the Constitution and its adoption of the Bill of Rights in 1791 divided eighteenth-century Americans and continue to be interpreted by scholars through various lenses.

The Anti-Federalists raised concerns about the lack of a Bill of Rights

The ratification of the US Constitution was a chaotic and unpredictable process, with significant opposition in several states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, doing so unanimously on 7 December 1787. Pennsylvania and New Jersey quickly followed, with relatively little opposition.

The ratification process sparked an intense national debate between two factions: the Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Anti-Federalists raised concerns about the lack of a Bill of Rights. They argued that the Constitution did not guarantee protection of individual liberties, and some citizens feared the loss of their traditional rights and the violation of their liberties. This led many of the Constitution's opponents to call for a bill of rights and to refuse to ratify the document without one.

In Massachusetts, the debate was particularly intense. Anti-Federalists raised concerns about the lack of a Bill of Rights, but Federalists secured ratification by promising to support amendments addressing these concerns once the Constitution was adopted. Massachusetts ratified the Constitution on 6 February 1788, with a narrow margin.

By June 1788, eight states had ratified the Constitution. The final draft of the Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on 17 September 1787. It then had to be ratified by at least nine of the 13 states to take effect.

The Federalists secured ratification by promising to support amendments addressing concerns about individual liberties

The ratification of the US Constitution was a chaotic and unpredictable process, with significant opposition in several states. The Federalists, led by men such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, supported the Constitution, arguing that it provided a necessary framework for a strong, effective central government. However, the Anti-Federalists opposed it, raising concerns about the lack of a Bill of Rights and the protection of individual liberties.

In Massachusetts, the debate was particularly intense. The Anti-Federalists argued that the Constitution did not guarantee the protection of individual liberties, such as the right to a jury trial, the right to bear arms, and religious tolerance. They called for a bill of rights and refused to ratify the Constitution without one.

The Federalists, however, managed to secure ratification in Massachusetts and other states by promising to support amendments that would address these concerns about individual liberties. They argued that the Constitution provided for habeas corpus and prohibited both a religious test for holding office and the granting of noble titles.

The ratification process was further complicated by the fact that the framers of the Constitution avoided asking state legislators to approve a document that would require them to give up some of their power. Instead, they called upon state legislatures to hold ratification conventions, where delegates elected by their neighbours would represent their interests and place limits on the power of state legislators.

Despite the intense debates and opposition, the Federalists ultimately succeeded in securing the ratification of the Constitution by promising to address concerns about individual liberties and limiting the power of state legislators.

Explore related products

Edward S. Corwin's Constitution and What It Means Today

$74 $81

The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, Volume 18: Commentaries on the Constitution, Public and Private: Volume 6, 9 May to 13 September 1788 (Volume 18)

$95

The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution, Volume 17: Commentaries on the Constitution, Public and Private: Volume 5, 1 April to 9 May 1788 (Volume 17)

$95

The history of political parties in the state of New-York, from the ratification of the federal Constitution to December, 1840 ... / By Jabez D. Hammond, LL. D. Volume v.1 1850 [Leather Bound]

$38.99

The Politics of Ratification of EU Treaties (Routledge Advances in European Politics)

$60.79 $63.99

Conscience and the Constitution: History, Theory, and Law of the Reconstruction Amendments (Princeton Legacy Library)

$137 $55

The Constitution was controversial because it required state legislators to give up a degree of their own power

The process of ratifying the Constitution was far from smooth, with significant opposition in several states. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, argued that it provided a necessary framework for a strong, effective central government capable of unifying the nation, protecting against foreign threats, and managing domestic affairs. However, the Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution, raising concerns about the lack of a Bill of Rights and the protection of individual liberties. They feared the loss of their traditional rights and the violation of their liberties, as the Constitution did not contain reassurances that the federal government would protect them.

The Constitution was particularly controversial because it required state legislators to give up a degree of their own power. The framers of the Constitution avoided asking the legislators to approve a document that would require them to relinquish power by calling upon state legislatures to hold ratification conventions to approve the Constitution. The men attending these conventions were delegates elected by their neighbours to represent their interests. They were not being asked to give up their power but to place limits on the power of their state legislators, whom they may not have elected in the first place.

The debate over ratification was intense and divisive, with scholars recognising that it was chaotic, unpredictable, and nerve-wracking. The final draft of the Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on September 17, 1787, and it then had to be ratified by at least nine of the 13 states to take effect. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, doing so unanimously on December 7, 1787. Pennsylvania and New Jersey quickly followed, with relatively little opposition. However, in Massachusetts, the debate was fierce, and the Constitution was only ratified by a narrow margin on February 6, 1788. By June 1788, eight states had ratified the Constitution.

The ratification process was chaotic, unpredictable, and nerve-wracking

The Federalists, led by men such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, argued that the Constitution was necessary for a strong and effective central government. The ratification process was further complicated by the fact that the framers avoided asking state legislators to approve a document that would reduce their power. Instead, they called upon state legislatures to hold ratification conventions, where delegates elected by their neighbours would represent their interests.

The process was far from smooth, with significant opposition in several states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution unanimously on December 7, 1787. Pennsylvania and New Jersey quickly followed with relatively little opposition. However, in Massachusetts, the debate was intense, and the Constitution was only ratified by a narrow margin on February 6, 1788. By June 1788, eight states had ratified the Constitution. The ratification process was a divisive and momentous time in American history, with scholars recognising the chaos and unpredictability that characterised it.

Frequently asked questions