Jonah Patel
The present U.S. Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 41 or 42 delegates present. 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 December 7, 1787, and on June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to do so, thus bringing the Constitution into effect. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document, and it was amended several times in the following years. Even after its ratification, the U.S. did not begin to function as it does today until several years later.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of signing | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of delegates who signed | 39 out of 41 |
| Date the constitution went into effect | June 21, 1788 |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 out of 13 |
| First state to ratify the Constitution | Delaware |
| Date of the first federal elections | December 15, 1788 |
| Date the new government was set to begin | March 4, 1789 |
| Date the constitution was ratified by all states | May 29, 1790 |
| Date the Bill of Rights was ratified | End of 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
The signing of the US Constitution
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This four-page document established the government of the United States, outlining the nation's federal government structure and the functions of its three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial.
The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a four-month-long Constitutional Convention that began in May 1787. The convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had established a weak central government. However, it became clear by mid-June that a new frame of government was needed, and a plan for a new form of republican government was drawn up. The convention featured many great minds of the day, including James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, and, for a while, Alexander Hamilton, as well as Benjamin Franklin and the most important regional leaders in the United States.
Of the 74 delegates chosen for the convention, 55 attended, and 39 signed the Constitution. The signatories represented a cross-section of 18th-century American leadership, with experience in local, colonial, or state government. Almost all of them had participated in the American Revolution; seven had signed the Declaration of Independence, and thirty had served in the military. The youngest signer was 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton, and the oldest was 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin.
Franklin, in poor health, delivered a speech introducing the motion for the delegates to sign the Constitution. In his speech, Franklin acknowledged that while he did not approve of every part of the document, he accepted it, hoping that it would serve the nation well. He concluded with a plea for all the delegates to sign, and a motion to sign the document was approved by 10 of the state delegations.
The signing of the Constitution was not the end of the process. Under Article VII, the document would not be binding until ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, and New Hampshire became the ninth state to do so on June 21, 1788, at which point the Constitution went into effect. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
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Ratification by nine states
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 41 or 42 delegates present. However, it was agreed that the document would only go into effect once it had been ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
The process of ratification was not an easy one, with several states voicing opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide adequate protection for certain rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press. Despite these concerns, the first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787. This was followed by ratifications from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
The eighth state to ratify was Massachusetts, following the terms of the Massachusetts Compromise reached in February 1788, which stipulated that amendments would be proposed to what became the Bill of Rights. Maryland and South Carolina soon followed, leaving just one more state needed for the Constitution to go into effect.
Finally, on June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, and it officially went into effect. This marked a significant moment in the history of the United States, as the new government was set to begin on March 4, 1789, with George Washington as the first President and John Adams as Vice President.
It is worth noting that it took several more years for all states to ratify the Constitution, with Rhode Island being the last state to approve the document on May 29, 1790. The Constitution has continued to evolve, with amendments being added over time, such as the Bill of Rights, which became part of the Constitution by the end of 1791.
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The Bill of Rights
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates, and ratified in 1788 following a long and bitter debate over the inclusion of a bill of rights. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791.
The first amendment prohibits Congress from making laws that establish a religion or restrict the free exercise of religion, abridge the freedom of speech, abridge the freedom of the press, or restrict the right of the people to assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The second amendment states that a well-regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state, and that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
The third amendment prohibits soldiers from being quartered in civilian homes without the owner's consent, except in cases prescribed by law.
The fourth amendment protects citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes, requiring a warrant for searches and seizures.
The ninth amendment states that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage other rights retained by the people.
The tenth amendment states that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved to the states or the people.
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The first federal elections
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates, though sources vary and state that 38 out of 41 delegates present signed the document. The Constitution was not to be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
In the nation's first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President. Congress was restructured to reflect the system of representation created by the Connecticut Compromise at the Constitutional Convention.
The US election system is highly decentralized, with state law regulating most aspects of elections, including primary elections, the eligibility of voters, the method of choosing presidential electors, and the running of state and local elections. Local authorities conduct the elections, working under local, state, and federal law and regulation, as well as the US Constitution.
The authority to regulate the time, place, and manner of federal elections is up to each state unless Congress legislates otherwise.
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The nation's first president
The current US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and went into effect on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
George Washington was elected as the first President of the United States on December 15, 1788, with John Adams as his Vice President. Washington was a general and was unanimously elected as president of the Philadelphia convention, which was held to revise the Articles of Confederation. The convention was attended by 55 men from 12 states and was meant for "the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation".
The convention was marked by intense debate and deadlock, with Washington himself getting frustrated and calling the opponents of a strong central government "narrow-minded politicians". However, a compromise was eventually reached, and the Constitution was drafted and signed on September 17, 1787.
Washington's election as the first president came after the Constitution was ratified by the required number of states. As the nation's first leader, he played a crucial role in establishing the new government and shaping the country's future. Washington's presidency set a precedent for the executive branch, as outlined in Article II of the Constitution, which vests the executive power in the President of the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787.
39 delegates signed the US Constitution.
The US Constitution went into effect on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
It was agreed that the US Constitution would go into effect when it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution on December 7, 1787.
