Eleanor Finch
The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | 21 June 1788 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware |
| Date of first state's ratification | 7 December 1787 |
| Ninth state to ratify | New Hampshire |
| Date of ninth state's ratification | 21 June 1788 |
| Date all 13 states ratified | 29 May 1790 |
| Date the Bill of Rights was ratified | 15 December 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
- The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787
- The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788
- The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791
- The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790
- The first federal elections were held between December 15, 1788, and January 10, 1789
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791, and became part of the Constitution.
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The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
The road to ratification was not without opposition. Some states voiced concerns that the Constitution did not provide adequate protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. However, the terms of the Massachusetts Compromise, reached in February 1788, stipulated that amendments to that effect—what became the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed.
The Constitution was drafted by a Committee of Detail, which prepared a draft for delegates to review in early August 1787. On September 17, 1787, 39 of the Constitutional Convention's 55 delegates signed the U.S. Constitution, and it was sent to the states for debate and ratification votes.
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The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791
On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. However, it was not until May 29, 1790, that all 13 states had ratified the Constitution, with Rhode Island being the last to approve the document.
The Bill of Rights, comprising ten amendments, addressed concerns raised by some states about the lack of protection for certain rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press. These amendments were introduced as part of the Massachusetts Compromise, and Congress adopted twelve of the seventeen proposed amendments on September 25, 1789, sending them to the states for ratification.
The ratification of the Bill of Rights on December 15, 1791, marked the culmination of this process, ensuring that these fundamental rights were enshrined in the Constitution and protected for all Americans.
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The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790
Between December 7, 1787, and June 21, 1788, the required nine of 13 states ratified the Constitution, making it the official framework for the government of the United States of America. However, it took until 1790 for all 13 states to ratify the document.
The Constitution was still evolving during this time. Madison introduced 17 amendments to the Constitution, of which Congress adopted 12 on September 25, 1789, to send to the states for ratification. Ten of those amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
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The first federal elections were held between December 15, 1788, and January 10, 1789
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The country was previously governed by the Articles of Confederation, which allowed the states to act more like independent, sovereign countries. It became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government.
Following ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections and the official implementation of the Constitution. In the nation's first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President. The new government was set to begin on March 4, 1789.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
The required number of states to ratify the Constitution was nine out of 13.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787.
The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791.
