Omar Bennett
The Constitution of the United States was drafted in 1787 by a group of 38 delegates, who met in Philadelphia to revise the existing government. The delegates came up with a completely new government, creating a powerful central government. The Constitution was then ratified by nine of the thirteen states, becoming the official framework of the government of the United States of America on 21 June 1788.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of signing | 17 September 1787 |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| Date of ratification | 21 June 1788 |
| Number of states ratifying the Constitution | 9 of 13 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on 17 September 1787
The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. The Constitution was officially established when it was ratified by nine of the thirteen states. 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.
The first draft of the Constitution was written on 25 May 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The ratification process for the Constitution began on 17 September 1787, the day the Frame of Government drafted by the convention's delegates to replace the Articles was adopted and signed. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified the Constitution on 29 May 1790.
The Constitution's Ratification: What Were the Conditions?
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The Constitution was ratified by nine of the thirteen states
The journey to ratification was long and arduous. The country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which were 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.
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, 15 December 1788, to Saturday, 10 January 1789, and the new government was set to begin 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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The Massachusetts Compromise led to the Bill of Rights
The United States Constitution was drafted by delegates at the Constitutional Convention, which first met on 25 May 1787. The Convention was tasked with revising the existing government, but the delegates came up with a completely new one. On 17 September 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Constitution was ratified by nine of the thirteen states, officially establishing it and bringing it into effect for those nine states. The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The Massachusetts Compromise was a solution reached in a controversy between Federalists and Anti-Federalists over the ratification of the Constitution. Anti-Federalists feared the Constitution would lead to an over-centralised government and diminish individual rights and liberties. They sought to amend the Constitution, particularly with a Bill of Rights as a condition before ratification. Federalists insisted that states had to accept or reject the document as written.
The Massachusetts Compromise helped gather enough support for the Constitution to ensure its ratification and led to the adoption of the first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights. The Compromise permitted delegates with doubts to vote for the Constitution in the hope that it would be amended. Under the Compromise, the delegates recommended that the new Congress consider the amendments should the Constitution enter into force. James Madison recognised that Congress should respond to the demands of the state conventions and authored the text of the Bill of Rights.
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until 29 May 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
The Constitution's Journey: Ratification and Its Legacy
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The Constitution was ratified by Rhode Island on 29 May 1790
The US Constitution was ratified by Rhode Island on 29 May 1790, marking the end of a long and arduous journey to ratification. The Constitution was drafted by delegates who met for the first time on 25 May 1787 at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a powerful central government. The Constitution was signed on 17 September 1787, and the ratification process began that day.
The Constitution was not ratified by the state legislatures, as the founders of the Constitution believed that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Instead, the Constitution was ratified by nine of the thirteen states, and it officially took effect for those nine states. The ninth state to ratify the Constitution was New Hampshire, which did so on 21 June 1788.
Some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide protection for certain rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. However, the terms of the Massachusetts Compromise reached in February 1788 stipulated that amendments would be immediately proposed, and the Constitution was subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire. After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections and the official implementation of the Constitution.
The Constitution stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation
The Constitution of the United States was drafted by 38 delegates at the Constitutional Convention, which first met on 25 May 1787. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a powerful central government. The Constitution was signed on 17 September 1787, and the ratification process began that day. The Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which had been the governing document of the United States since it was formed. The Articles of Confederation were tailored to a newly formed nation made 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 re-evaluate the nation's governing document.
The Constitution was ratified by nine of the thirteen states on 21 June 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. The Constitution then took effect for those nine states. The remaining four states to ratify the Constitution were Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and Rhode Island, which was the final state to ratify it on 29 May 1790. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures, as they reasoned that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was constructed by 38 delegates who met for the first time on May 25, 1787, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. George Reed signed for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
The Constitution was ratified because it was clear to some of America's leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government. The country was previously governed by the Articles of Confederation, which were tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries.
