Eleanor Finch
The Constitution of the United States of America was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to approve it. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787. The Bill of Rights, which was born from the Massachusetts Compromise, was ratified on December 15, 1791.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | 21 June 1788 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware, 7 December 1787 |
| Number of states required to ratify | 9 of 13 |
| Date all 13 states ratified | 29 May 1790 |
| Date Bill of Rights ratified | 15 December 1791 |
Explore related products
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 US 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 ratification of the Constitution was a long and arduous process. The country was governed by the Articles of Confederation until the new Constitution was ratified. This document was tailored to a newly formed nation of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries. However, it became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government. New York's Alexander Hamilton led the call for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document.
A Committee of Detail prepared a draft Constitution 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. It was then sent to the states for debate and ratification votes.
Some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide 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 subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and, finally, New Hampshire. After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections and the official implementation of the Constitution.
The Final Push: Three States Ratify the Constitution
You may want to see also
The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788
The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. This made the Constitution the official framework of the US government.
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Between December 7, 1787, and June 21, 1788, nine states had ratified the Constitution. All 13 states eventually ratified the Constitution by May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document.
The Constitution was not without its critics, with some states voicing opposition on the grounds that it did not provide protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. 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. Ten of those amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
How Federalist Papers Influenced the Constitution's Ratification
You may want to see also
The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791
The Constitution was drafted in 1787 and sent to the states for debate and ratification votes. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. By June 21, 1788, the required nine of 13 states had ratified the Constitution, making it the official framework for the government of the United States of America.
However, some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide adequate protection for certain rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. To address these concerns, the Massachusetts Compromise was reached in February 1788, which stipulated that amendments—what became known as the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed.
The Bill of Rights consisted of ten amendments, which were ratified on December 15, 1791, becoming part of the Constitution.
Benjamin Franklin's Role in Ratifying the Constitution
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The US Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790
The Constitution 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 took almost two more years for the remaining four states to ratify the document.
Some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. 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. Ten of those amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791.
Nevada's Constitution: Ratification and Its Impact
You may want to see also
The first federal elections were held between December 15, 1788, and January 10, 1789
The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it, making it the official framework of the government of the United States of America. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1778, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
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. This document was tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries. It quickly became clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralised government.
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 Long Road to Ratifying the Constitution
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, on December 7, 1787.
The required number of states to ratify the Constitution was nine out of 13.
The Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791.
![A History of Violence (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lqpbUFtWL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
