Simone Lawson
The United States Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to approve it. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, and sent to the states for ratification. The ratification process sparked an intense national debate between Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and Anti-Federalists, who opposed it on the grounds that it did not adequately protect individual liberties. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of ratification | June 21, 1788 |
| First state to ratify | Delaware |
| Date of first state ratification | December 7, 1787 |
| Number of states required for ratification | 9 out of 13 |
| Date of final state ratification | May 29, 1790 |
| Final state to ratify | Rhode Island |
| Number of states that eventually ratified | All 13 |
| Date of first federal elections | December 15, 1788 |
| Date of official implementation of the Constitution | January 10, 1789 |
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What You'll Learn
Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution
Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution, doing so unanimously on December 7, 1787. All 30 delegates to the Delaware Constitutional Convention voted in favour of ratification.
The Constitution was sent to the states for ratification, and it would become binding once nine of the former 13 colonies had ratified the document. This occurred on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution.
Delaware's early ratification earned it the nickname "The First State". Notably, Delaware was also the first state to have a convention write a constitution following the Declaration of Independence. The 1776 constitution was replaced by the Delaware Constitution of 1792, which remained in effect until 1831. The current constitution, Delaware's fourth, was adopted in 1897 and remains in effect.
The ratification process sparked an intense national debate between two factions: the Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Federalists were led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, who argued that the Constitution provided a necessary framework for a strong, effective central government capable of unifying the nation, protecting against foreign threats, and managing domestic affairs. On the other hand, Anti-Federalists like Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Samuel Adams argued that the Constitution did not adequately protect individual liberties and concentrated too much power in the federal government at the expense of states' rights.
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The Federalists and Anti-Federalists
The ratification of the US Constitution was a long and contentious process, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists engaging in intense debates across the nation. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, supported the ratification of the Constitution. They believed that it provided a necessary framework for a strong and effective central government, capable of unifying the nation, protecting against foreign threats, and managing domestic affairs. They argued that the checks and balances built into the Constitution would prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, opposed the ratification of the Constitution, arguing that it concentrated too much power in the federal government at the expense of the states' rights and individual liberties. Notable Anti-Federalists like Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Samuel Adams criticized the absence of a Bill of Rights, which they believed was necessary to protect freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. The Anti-Federalists never organized efficiently across all thirteen states, and so they fought the ratification at every state convention.
The Federalist Papers, a series of 85 essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay under the pseudonym "Publius," were a key tool for the Federalists. These essays articulated arguments in favor of ratification and addressed Anti-Federalist concerns. They were published in newspapers nationwide, alongside opposing viewpoints, and played a significant role in shaping public opinion.
The ratification process required at least nine of the thirteen states to approve the Constitution. Delaware was the first state to ratify unanimously on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution was New Hampshire, which did so on June 21, 1788. This ensured that the Constitution would go into effect, and it became the official framework for the government of the United States of America.
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The role of George Washington
George Washington played a vital role in the ratification of the US Constitution and the establishment of the office of the President of the United States. As the president of the Constitutional Convention, Washington rarely participated in the debates, but he actively supported the ratification process.
Before leaving Philadelphia for Virginia, Washington sent copies of the document to Thomas Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette, and the three most recent governors of Virginia, Benjamin Harrison, Patrick Henry, and Edmund Randolph, urging them to support the Constitution. Once back at his home, Mount Vernon, Washington spent his mornings writing letters to political leaders across the nation, encouraging them to ratify the Constitution.
Washington believed that the unity of the nation was being tested under the Articles of Confederation, and that the current government was so weak that it would soon dissolve due to a lack of popular support. He supported the ratification of the Constitution because it created a stronger central government, with a Congress that had the power to tax, a President who would act as the nation's chief executive, and a national court system. He also reminded people that once the Constitution was approved, it could be amended.
Washington's support for the ratification of the Constitution was so important that his home state of Virginia's participation was crucial for the legitimacy of the new government. Virginia eventually ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788, after Federalists agreed to recommend a Bill of Rights.
After the Constitution was ratified, Washington was elected as the first President of the United States, with John Adams as Vice President.
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The significance of the ninth ratification
The US Constitution was drafted in 1787 by state delegates at a four-month convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The final draft was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on September 17, 1787, and it was then sent to the states for ratification. The procedure for ratification was outlined in Article VII, which stated that the document would not be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
The road to ratification was a long and arduous process, with intense national debate between two factions: the Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, argued that the Constitution provided a necessary framework for a strong, effective central government capable of unifying the nation, protecting against foreign threats, and managing domestic affairs. They also believed that the checks and balances built into the Constitution would prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful. The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, feared that the Constitution concentrated too much power in the federal government at the expense of states' rights. They also criticized the absence of a Bill of Rights, arguing that the Constitution did not adequately protect individual liberties.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Maryland ratified in April 1788, then South Carolina in May. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the US government.
The ninth ratification was significant because it meant that the Constitution could take effect, and the new government could begin. The official start date for the new government was set as March 4, 1789, and the nation's first presidential election was held between December 15, 1788, and January 10, 1789. George Washington was elected as the first president, with John Adams as vice president.
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The final state to ratify the Constitution
The final state needed to ratify the Constitution was New Hampshire, which became the ninth state to do so on June 21, 1788. This made the Constitution the official framework for the government of the United States of America.
The road to ratification was a long and arduous process. The drafting of the Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time to revise the Articles of Confederation. The Convention was convened due to the efforts of New York's Alexander Hamilton, who, along with James Madison and John Jay, led the lobbying efforts for votes in favor of ratifying the Constitution. The group produced 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers," which explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
However, several states voiced opposition to the Constitution, arguing that it did not adequately protect individual liberties and freedoms, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. The Anti-Federalists, led by figures such as Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Samuel Adams, criticized the concentration of power in the federal government and the absence of a Bill of Rights. Despite this opposition, by June 1788, eight states had ratified the Constitution, with New Hampshire casting the deciding ninth vote on June 21.
It is worth noting that while New Hampshire was the ninth and final state needed to ratify the Constitution for it to take effect, not all states had ratified at this point. The remaining states, including key states like Virginia and New York, would eventually ratify the Constitution, with all 13 states ratifying it by May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island, the last holdout state, finally approved the document.
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Frequently asked questions
Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution on December 7, 1787.
A minimum of nine out of thirteen states were required to ratify the Constitution.
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 state to ratify it.
All thirteen states eventually ratified the US Constitution by May 29, 1790.
The first federal elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789.
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