Eleanor Finch
The ratification of the US Constitution was an unusual process. The document had to be ratified by nine of the thirteen states before it could become law and a new government could form. Smaller states, like Delaware, were in favour of the Constitution, as it would give them equal representation in the Senate. Larger states, however, had significant power to lose and did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them. Supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of states required to ratify the new constitution | 9 out of 13 |
| Number of delegates required to sign the new constitution | 38 out of 41 |
| States that were expected to ratify the new constitution | Delaware |
| States that were expected to refuse to ratify the new constitution | New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia |
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What You'll Learn
- The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states
- Smaller states, like Delaware, were in favour of the Constitution
- Larger states, like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, were against it
- The Federalist Papers were produced to explain and defend the proposed new government
- The Philadelphia convention approved the Constitution, which was then sent to each state to be ratified
The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states
The smaller states, like Delaware, were in favour of the Constitution. This was because equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with the larger states. A strong national government with an army at its command would also be better able to defend them than their state militias.
Larger states, on the other hand, had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. Supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
Copies of the Constitution were sent to each of the states, which were to hold ratifying conventions to either accept or reject it. This approach to ratification was an unusual one.
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Smaller states, like Delaware, were in favour of the Constitution
Larger states, on the other hand, had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. Supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
The Constitution was eventually ratified by nine of the thirteen states, as required by Article VII. This was an unusual approach to ratification, as changes to the nation's government should have been ratified by the state legislatures.
The process of ratification began eleven days after the delegates at the Philadelphia convention approved the Constitution. Copies of the Constitution were sent to each of the states, which were to hold ratifying conventions to either accept or reject it. The lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution were led by Hamilton and James Madison, with assistance from John Jay.
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Larger states, like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, were against it
Larger states, like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, were against the ratification of the new constitution. They had significant power to lose and did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them. They also disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. From the very beginning, supporters of the Constitution feared that these states would refuse to ratify it.
The new Constitution was proposed and created by delegates at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787. It was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the thirteen existing states. This approach to ratification was unusual, as changes to the nation's government should have been ratified by the state legislatures. Eleven days after the delegates approved the Constitution, copies were sent to each of the states, which were to hold ratifying conventions to either accept or reject it.
Smaller states, like Delaware, were in favour of the Constitution. Equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with the larger states, and a strong national government with an army at its command would be better able to defend them than their state militias could.
Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. With assistance from John Jay, they produced the 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers" that explained and defended how the proposed new government would function.
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The Federalist Papers were produced to explain and defend the proposed new government
The Federalist Papers were created to explain how the proposed new government would function. The new government would have a strong national government with an army at its command. This was appealing to smaller states, like Delaware, as it would give them a degree of equality with the larger states. The new government would also be able to defend them better than their state militias could.
However, the larger states had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. This meant that supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
The approach to ratification was an unusual one. Since the authority inherent in the Articles of Confederation and the Confederation Congress had rested on the consent of the states, changes to the nation's government should also have been ratified by the state legislatures.
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The Philadelphia convention approved the Constitution, which was then sent to each state to be ratified
The Philadelphia convention approved the Constitution on September 17, 1787, which was then sent to each state to be ratified. The document was signed by 38 out of 41 delegates present. However, it would not be binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states.
The Constitution was then sent to each state to be ratified. This was an unusual approach, as changes to the government should have been ratified by the state legislatures. Each state was to hold a ratifying convention to either accept or reject the Constitution.
Smaller states, like Delaware, were in favour of the Constitution. This was because equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with the larger states. A strong national government with an army at its command would also be better able to defend them than their state militias.
Larger states, however, had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. Supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
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Frequently asked questions
The new Constitution required ratification by nine of the thirteen existing states.
The initial purpose of the Convention was for the delegates to amend the Articles of Confederation. However, the outcome was the proposal and creation of a completely new form of government.
Smaller states, like Delaware, favoured the Constitution. Equal representation in the Senate would give them a degree of equality with the larger states, and a strong national government with an army at its command would be better able to defend them than their state militias could.
Larger states had significant power to lose. They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. Supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
