Omar Bennett
The ratification process in the United States was a long and arduous journey that began in 1787 after the Constitutional Convention. The process required approval from nine out of the original thirteen states to ratify the Constitution. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The ratification process was marked by contention between Federalists and Anti-Federalists, with the former supporting the Constitution and the latter opposing it on the grounds that it granted too much power to the federal government and did not sufficiently protect individual rights. New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788, and the government under the Constitution commenced on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was ratified in 1788
The process of ratification began when Congress turned the Constitution over to the state legislatures for consideration through specially elected state conventions. Five state conventions, including Delaware, New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, voted to approve the Constitution almost immediately, with unanimous or lopsided votes. However, a closer examination reveals that the contest was much closer than it appeared. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, rapidly secured these early states, and the Constitution seemed to have broad and popular support.
The ratification process varied across states. In Pennsylvania, for example, the process was marred by corruption. The state assembly's term was coming to an end, and they had already begun considering calling a special convention on the Constitution even before Congress had forwarded it to the states. Anti-Federalists in the state assembly attempted to block this move by refusing to attend the last two days of the session, as their absence would prevent a binding legal decision from being made. In response, coercive measures were taken, and Anti-Federalists were forcibly brought to the Pennsylvania State House to ensure their presence.
The ratification of the Constitution in Massachusetts was also significant. Initially, prominent Anti-Federalist John Hancock opposed the Constitution. However, he later shifted his position and led the move toward ratification, satisfied by the Massachusetts Compromise, which stipulated that amendments protecting individual rights would be considered by the first new Congress. This compromise was later adopted by every subsequent state convention, except Maryland. The ratification of the Constitution by Massachusetts and the subsequent states of Maryland and South Carolina set the stage for New Hampshire to become the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788.
While the Constitution was ratified in 1788, the process of implementing it took some time. The government under the Constitution began on March 4, 1789, and the first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789. The Constitution also underwent further amendments, with ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, being ratified on December 15, 1791. It was not until May 29, 1790, that all states had ratified the Constitution, with Rhode Island being the last state to approve the document.
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Nine out of thirteen original states were required to ratify
The ratification process in the United States required approval from nine out of thirteen original states to accept the Constitution. The process began in 1787 following the Constitutional Convention, which was called to amend the Articles of Confederation. However, the convention ultimately proposed a completely new form of government.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. These states voted to approve the Constitution almost immediately, and the vote was unanimous or overwhelmingly in favour. The Federalists, supporters of the Constitution, rapidly secured five of the nine states needed to make the Constitution law.
However, it is important to note that the contest was closer than it appeared. There was significant debate and contention during the process, with Anti-Federalists opposing the Constitution. They believed it granted too much power to the federal government and did not sufficiently protect individual rights. To counter these arguments, Federalists such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers. These essays defended the Constitution and explained its provisions.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, followed by Virginia on June 25 and New York on July 26. The government under the Constitution officially began on March 4, 1789. However, it is worth noting that the Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island, the last state, finally approved the document.
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The Federalists supported the Constitution
The Federalists believed that the greatest threat to the future of the United States did not lie in the abuse of central power but instead in other areas. They advocated for a stronger, more centralized government, arguing that the Articles of Confederation, which the country was governed by until the new Constitution was ratified, were inadequate for a nation made up of states acting like independent, sovereign countries.
The Federalists' support for the Constitution was evident in the early stages of the ratification process, with five state conventions voting to approve the Constitution almost immediately (between December 1787 and January 1788). These included Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut, with the vote being unanimous or overwhelmingly in favour in all but Connecticut.
The Federalists' well-organised campaign helped them rapidly secure five of the nine states needed to make the Constitution law. However, the process was not without challenges, and the contest was closer than it initially appeared. For example, in Pennsylvania, there was opposition from Antifederalists, who tried to block the ratification process by refusing to attend the state assembly sessions.
The Federalists' efforts ultimately led to the successful ratification of the Constitution, with New Hampshire becoming the ninth and final state needed to ratify it on June 21, 1788. The government under the Constitution officially began on March 4, 1789, after Virginia and New York also ratified it.
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The Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution, fearing that the new national government would be too powerful and threaten individual liberties. They believed that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states. The Anti-Federalists wanted a weak central government and strong state governments. They believed that the liberties of the people were best protected when power resided in state governments, rather than a federal one.
The Anti-Federalists also believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch, and that this resemblance would eventually produce courts of intrigue in the nation's capital. They argued that without a Bill of Rights, the federal government would become tyrannous. These arguments created a powerful current against adopting the Constitution in each of the states. In state legislatures across the country, opponents of the Constitution criticised its granting of extensive powers to the federal government.
The Anti-Federalists included small farmers and landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers. They wanted the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties. The Anti-Federalist camp included a group of founding-era heavyweights, including: Virginia's George Mason, Patrick Henry, and Richard Henry Lee; Massachusetts's Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, and Mercy Otis Warren; and New York's Robert Yates.
Anti-Federalists in Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York, three crucial states, made ratification of the Constitution contingent on a Bill of Rights. Sensing that Anti-Federalist sentiment would sink ratification efforts, James Madison reluctantly agreed to draft a list of rights that the new federal government could not encroach. This became the Bill of Rights, a list of 10 constitutional amendments that secure the basic rights and privileges of American citizens.
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The Constitution was ratified by all states in 1790
The United States Constitution was ratified and became the official framework of the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. However, it was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
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. The Articles gave little power to the central government, and it quickly became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government.
The initial purpose of the Convention was for the delegates to amend the Articles of Confederation. However, the ultimate outcome was the proposal and creation of a completely new form of government. The Convention concluded on September 17, 1787, with the signing of the new U.S. Constitution by 38 out of 41 delegates present. Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 existing states.
Five state conventions voted to approve the Constitution almost immediately (December 1787 to January 1788). The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution seemed to have easy, broad, and popular support. However, a closer look at who ratified the Constitution in these early states and how it was done indicates that the contest was much closer than might appear at first glance.
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Frequently asked questions
The outcome of the ratification process was the approval of the US Constitution. New Hampshire became the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788. The government under the Constitution began on March 4, 1789.
The ratification process began when Congress turned the Constitution over to the state legislatures for consideration through specially elected state conventions of the people. The process was contentious, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists debating the merits of the Constitution. The Federalists, supporters of the Constitution, wrote a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers to defend the Constitution and explain its provisions.
The ratification of the Constitution began a long history of US expansion. As each state was admitted to the Union, the country's maps changed. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights, comprising ten amendments, was ratified on December 15, 1791.
