Eleanor Finch
The Constitution of the United States was finally accepted by delegates on September 17, 1787, but it was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The ratification process took from September 1789 to early 1791. The Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of 1791.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date the Constitution was finally accepted by delegates | 17 September 1787 |
| Date the ratification process began | 17 September 1787 |
| Date the Constitution was ratified by all states | 29 May 1790 |
| Date the Bill of Rights was ratified | End of 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was ratified on September 17, 1787
The ratification process for the Constitution began on September 17, 1787, and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until this date, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
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. Elections were set to take place from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday, January 10, 1789, and the new government was set to begin on March 4, 1789. In the nation’s first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President.
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The final state to ratify the Constitution was Rhode Island
The Constitution of the United States was finally accepted by the delegates on September 17, 1787. The ratification process for the Constitution began that day, and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution. The state had initially opposed the Constitution, as 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 ratification of the Constitution by the original states took from September 1789 to early 1791. The process was a lengthy one, with debate over the Constitution raging in newspapers, taverns, coffeehouses, and over dinner tables. People who never left their home towns studied the document and made their views known.
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 location of the capital was also not set until July 16, 1790, almost a year and a half after the general elections took place.
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The Bill of Rights was ratified at the end of 1791
The US Constitution was finally ratified on May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island became the final state to approve the document. However, the Bill of Rights was not ratified until the end of 1791.
The Constitution was drafted in 1787, and the ratification process began on September 17 of that year. The process of ratification was a long and complex one, with debate raging across the country. The Founding Fathers had to get the states to agree to the document and to vote in favour of it. Nine states needed to vote for the Constitution for it to be accepted.
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.
The Bill of Rights was not ratified until the end of 1791, a year after the Constitution was ratified. This was a significant moment in the history of the United States, as it provided protection for the rights of its citizens.
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The US Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790
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. Elections were set to take place from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday, January 10, 1789, and the new government was set to begin on March 4, 1789. In the nation’s first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President.
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The capital was not set until July 16, 1790
The US Constitution was ratified on 17 September 1787, when it was accepted by the delegates. However, the ratification process by the original states took from September 1787 to early 1791. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified the Constitution on 29 May 1790. The capital was not set until 16 July 1790, almost a year and a half after the general elections took place.
The drafting of the Constitution began on 25 May 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time to revise the Articles of Confederation. The Constitution was signed on 17 September 1787, the same day that the ratification process began. The Constitution did not contain a Bill of Rights, despite heavy debate on the issue.
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. Elections were held from 15 December 1788 to 10 January 1789, and the new government began on 4 March 1789. In the nation’s first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was finally ratified on May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document.
The Constitution was originally ratified on September 17, 1787, when it was signed by 39 of the 42 delegates present.
The Bill of Rights was ratified at the end of 1791.
