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The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of a process that began with the Articles of Confederation, the country's first constitution, which gave the Confederation Congress rule-making and funding powers but lacked enforcement powers and the ability to regulate commerce or print money. The Constitutional Convention, which included notable figures such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington, convened in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles and address the young country's stability and governance concerns. The Constitution introduced a new form of government, and its ratification was a lengthy and contentious process, with debates, criticisms, and compromises. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states was required, and it wasn't until May 29, 1790, that Rhode Island became the final state to approve the document.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date the Constitution was signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Date the Constitution was ratified | June 21, 1788 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 39 |
| Number of states that ratified the Constitution | 9 out of 13 |
| Date all states ratified the Constitution | May 29, 1790 |
| Date the Bill of Rights was ratified | 1791 |
| Date the location of the capital was decided | July 16, 1790 |
| Date the land for the construction of the capital was designated | January 24, 1791 |
| Date the first federal elections were held | December 15, 1788 to January 10, 1789 |
| Date the new government began | March 4, 1789 |
| First President of the United States | George Washington |
| First Vice President of the United States | John Adams |
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What You'll Learn
The signing of the Constitution
The convention was attended by delegates from 12 states, with Rhode Island refusing to participate. The delegates debated and crafted the Constitution over a period of three hot summer months, eventually signing a document that established a powerful central government. The signing took place after a final draft was presented by the Committee of Style and Arrangement, which included Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, who condensed 23 articles into seven. Of the 39 signatures on the Constitution, 38 were from delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent. Benjamin Franklin, despite having reservations about certain parts of the document, accepted the Constitution, stating that it was "the least imperfect" form of government.
The delegates' approval, however, did not immediately make the Constitution the law of the land. The document had to go through a process of ratification, with special ratifying conventions in each state. The terms of ratification bypassed the state legislatures, requiring approval from just nine of the 13 states, a two-thirds majority. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who believed the document created a powerful central government that threatened individual liberties. Despite these challenges, the Constitution gained enough support, and on June 21, 1788, it became the official framework of the US government when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. The Bill of Rights, a series of amendments protecting freedoms such as speech, religion, and the press, was later ratified and became part of the Constitution.
The Constitution's ratification marked a critical transition in American history, moving the nation from the Articles of Confederation to a new form of government with a stronger central authority. The process of drafting and signing the Constitution, followed by its ratification, spanned several years and involved intense debates, compromises, and negotiations. It laid the foundation for the United States of America as we know it today.
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Ratification by 9 of the 13 states
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates (39 including George Reed, who signed for John Dickinson of Delaware). However, the document needed to be ratified by nine of the 13 states for the formation of a new government.
The process of ratification was not easy. The Federalists, who believed in a strong central government, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who were against the Constitution as it did not include a bill of rights and created a powerful central government reminiscent of the one they had overthrown. The Anti-Federalists fought hard against the ratification of the Constitution.
The Federalists needed to convert at least three states to ratify the Constitution. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Connecticut, Georgia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In early 1788, Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina also ratified the Constitution. Finally, on June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, enacting the new government.
The Massachusetts Compromise, reached in February 1788, played a crucial role in the ratification process. It stipulated that amendments would be immediately proposed to protect rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, which later became the Bill of Rights. This compromise helped secure victory in Massachusetts and, eventually, the final holdout states.
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The Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The Constitution was then submitted to the Confederation Congress in New York City on September 28, 1787.
The Constitution was not initially supported by all states. In fact, it was not until May 29, 1790, that Rhode Island approved the document, marking the point when it was finally ratified by all 13 states. The Bill of Rights, a series of amendments to the Constitution, was ratified on December 15, 1791, and became part of the Constitution.
The road to the ratification of the Bill of Rights was not without its challenges. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, faced opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Anti-Federalists were concerned about the lack of protection for certain rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. Despite these concerns, the Federalists were able to secure the necessary votes for ratification.
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The role of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists
The Constitution of the United States was approved by delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787. However, the road to ratification was long and contentious, with fierce debates between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. These two groups had very You may want to see also The United States Constitution, the supreme law of the country, outlines the system of governance and the fundamental rights of citizens. Since its creation, the Constitution has been amended several times to address issues and challenges faced by the nation. The process of amending the Constitution is outlined in Article V of the document, which provides two methods for proposing and ratifying amendments. The first method, which has been used for all amendments to date, involves a proposal by Congress. A proposed amendment must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. After approval by Congress, the amendment is sent to the states for ratification. Ratification requires the approval of three-fourths of the state legislatures or special ratification conventions, depending on the method specified by Congress. The second method for proposing amendments, which has never been used, involves a constitutional convention called at the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures. Any amendments proposed by such a convention would still need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. To date, the Constitution has been amended 27 times. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously in 1791 and address fundamental freedoms and rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms. The remaining 17 amendments address a wide range of issues, including voting rights, civil rights, and the powers of the federal government. Some of the most significant amendments include the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, which were adopted following the Civil War. These amendments abolished slavery, guaranteed due process and equal protection under the law, and prohibited the denial of suffrage based on race, respectively. Another notable amendment is the 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, which guaranteed women's right to vote. The process of amending the Constitution ensures that the document can adapt to the evolving needs and values of the nation while preserving the fundamental principles upon which it was founded. The Constitution's flexibility and capacity for amendment have contributed to its enduring significance in American democracy. You may want to see also The US Constitution was approved by state delegates during a 4-month Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia, PA. 39 of the 55 delegates signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787. After it was signed, the US Constitution was sent to the states for debate and ratification votes. The US Constitution required ratification by nine of the 13 states. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. All 13 states eventually ratified the US Constitution by May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document.Christian Values and the Constitution: A Complex Relationship
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