Isabella Carter
The U.S. Constitution was ratified and became the official framework for the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The journey to ratification was long and arduous, with the first draft of the Constitution being accepted on August 6, 1787. The document was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 of 41 delegates, and sent to the states for ratification. The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789, and continues to guide the U.S. government, protect the rights of all Americans, and inspire democracies around the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date first draft of the Constitution was accepted | August 6, 1787 |
| Date the final document was created | 5 weeks after the first draft was accepted |
| Date the Constitution was signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Date the Constitution became the official framework for the government of the United States of America | June 21, 1788 |
| Number of states required to ratify the Constitution | 9 of 13 |
| Date all 13 states ratified the Constitution | May 29, 1790 |
| Date the Bill of Rights was ratified | December 15, 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788
The Constitution was drafted during a four-month convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which commenced on May 25, 1787. The convention was convened to amend the Articles of Confederation, but ultimately resulted in the proposal and creation of a new form of government. The first draft of the Constitution was accepted on August 6, 1787, and the final document was produced five weeks later. The convention concluded on September 17, 1787, with the signing of the Constitution by 38 out of 41 delegates.
The ratification process was long and arduous. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution was opposed by some states on the grounds that it did not provide protection for certain rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press. To address these concerns, the Massachusetts Compromise was reached in February 1788, stipulating that amendments—which later became the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed. Subsequently, the Constitution was ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina, and finally, New Hampshire.
The Constitution establishes a federal government with three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Constitution also embodies concepts of federalism, describing the rights and responsibilities of state governments, their relationship to the federal government, and the shared process of constitutional amendment.
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Nine of 13 states were required to ratify it
The US Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and sent to the states for ratification. Nine of the 13 states were required to ratify it for it to become the nation's official framework.
The journey to ratification was long and arduous. The country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which was tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries. However, it became clear to America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government. The Constitution's opening words, "We the People", represented a new thought: the idea that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy.
The first draft of the Constitution was accepted on August 6, 1787, and the final document was produced five weeks later. The delegates wrote the Constitution during a four-month Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia, PA. The convention was called to amend the Articles of Confederation, but the outcome was the proposal and creation of a completely new form of government.
The ratification process began on December 7, 1787, when Delaware became the first state to approve the Constitution. This was followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the US government. All 13 states eventually ratified the Constitution by May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document.
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Delaware was the first state to ratify it
Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution, doing so on December 7, 1787. The state's delegates met in Dover at Battell's Tavern (also known as the Golden Fleece Tavern) and voted unanimously, 30-0, to ratify the Constitution.
Delaware's ratification of the Constitution was significant as it was the first signal of a revolution in the general government of the United States, and it set an example for other state conventions to follow. The state's willingness to seize the initiative was important in the process of establishing a new government.
Delaware's ratification of the Constitution also contributed to the state's unique status as "The First State". In recognition of this historic event, Delaware Day has been proclaimed and celebrated annually on December 7 since 1933. The day was established through the efforts of a wise Delaware educator and legislator, Mr. E. Paul Burkholder, along with the Rotary Club of Georgetown, who secured more than 6,000 signatures on petitions presented to the governor and legislature.
The process of ratifying the US Constitution was a long and arduous journey. The country was previously governed by the Articles of Confederation, which gave significant political power to individual states, rendering the national government relatively unimportant. This development became increasingly unacceptable to Delawareans and citizens of other states. The Constitutional Convention was convened in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, with representatives from all 13 states participating. The final document was completed by mid-September 1787, and the process of ratification by the states began.
The US Constitution officially became the framework of the US government on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it, joining Delaware and seven other states in approving the document.
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Ratification made the Constitution the law of the land
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution delineates the framework of the federal government, which is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III).
The process of ratification is a crucial aspect of amending the Constitution. Ratification occurs after a proposed amendment has been properly adopted. There are two procedures for ratifying an amendment: obtaining the consent of three-fourths of the states' legislatures (38 out of 50 states) or through state ratifying conventions. The choice of ratification method is made by Congress for each amendment.
The original Constitution was ratified by the states over a period of several months. The first draft was accepted on August 6, 1787, and the final document was signed by 38 out of 41 delegates on September 17, 1787. The Constitution stipulated that it would not come into force until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, and other states followed suit. By February 1788, the Massachusetts Compromise was reached, which stipulated that amendments would be proposed to protect certain rights, resulting in the Bill of Rights. The Constitution was subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.
The ratification of the Constitution by the required number of states made it the law of the land. The Supreme Court and other federal courts are charged with interpreting and enforcing the Constitution as the supreme law. The Constitution can only be changed through an extraordinary legislative process of national proposal followed by state ratification. The powers of government departments are limited to those explicitly granted in the Constitution. The ratification of the Constitution marked a significant step in the evolution of the United States' system of government, establishing a stronger and more centralized government compared to the Articles of Confederation. It also set the stage for the first federal elections and the election of George Washington as the first president. The lobbying efforts of Hamilton and Madison played a crucial role in securing the ratification of the Constitution and shaping the future of the nation.
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The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation
The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution was ratified in 1788 and officially replaced the Articles of Confederation in 1789 when the present-day Constitution went into effect. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, and served as the United States' first constitution. It was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789, when the current Constitution took effect. The Articles of Confederation established a "league of friendship" among the 13 sovereign and independent states. Each state retained "every Power...which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States." The Articles also outlined a Congress with representation not based on population, with each state having one vote. Ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion.
The Constitution, on the other hand, consists of seven articles that define the basic framework of the federal government. The first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Article I); the executive, consisting of the President and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III). Articles IV, V, and VI embody concepts of federalism, describing the rights and responsibilities of state governments, the relationship between the states and the federal government, and the shared process of constitutional amendment. Article VII establishes the procedure used by the 13 states to ratify the Constitution.
The process of amending the Constitution involves two steps: proposal and ratification. Proposals to amend the Constitution must be properly adopted and ratified before they can change the Constitution. The language of a proposed amendment can be adopted by either a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives or by a national convention (called when two-thirds of the state legislatures collectively request one). The proposed amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50), either through the consent of the state legislatures or state ratifying conventions.
The creation of the U.S. Constitution involved a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, where delegates from the states met to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and draft a new constitution. The convention accepted the first draft of the Constitution on August 6, 1787, and the final document was completed five weeks later. The Constitution's opening words, "We the People," represented a new idea: that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy. This phrase was coined by Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania, who chaired the convention's Committee of Style.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution became the official framework for the government of the United States of America on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
Nine of the 13 states needed to ratify the US Constitution for it to come into effect.
The US Constitution was drafted and signed by delegates during a Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia, PA, from May 25, 1787, to September 17, 1787. It was then sent to the states for ratification.
