Jonah Patel
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the US Constitution, only doing so in 1790, more than a year after it went into effect. The state's opposition was largely due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party, which was intended to pay off the state's war debt. Other issues included fear of direct federal taxes, aversion to the lengthy terms for members of Congress, and the belief that the new constitution would lead to a possibly unrestrained central government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Opposition to paper money | Paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party |
| Fear of direct federal taxes | Fear of direct federal taxes and aversion to the lengthy terms for members of Congress |
| Resistance to a possibly unrestrained central government | Resistance to a possibly unrestrained central government |
| Concern for the sovereignty and integrity of the states | Concern for the sovereignty and integrity of the states in the spirit of true federalism |
| Solicitude for individual liberty | Solicitude for individual liberty, especially religious freedom |
| Opposition to slavery | Opposition to slavery and the incidents of servitude |
| Concern for democratic participation | Concern for democratic participation via referendum in the Constitution-making process |
| Opposition to the proposed Impost, or Tariff, of 1781 | Opposition to the proposed Impost, or Tariff, of 1781 |
| Opposition to amendments that might harm their interests | Opposition to amendments that might harm their interests |
| Support for the end of the slave trade | Support for the end of the slave trade |
| Support for a no poll tax amendment | Support for a no poll tax amendment |
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What You'll Learn
Rhode Island's veto power
The ratification of the United States Constitution by Rhode Island was a controversial process. Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, more than a year after it went into effect. It was also the only state not to send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, which approved the document on September 17, 1787.
Rhode Island's opposition was chiefly due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party, which was intended to pay off the state's debt from the Revolutionary War. The new Constitution's Article I, Section 10 prohibited states from issuing paper money, so Rhode Island's rural-dominated General Assembly waited until the currency plan had run its course before ratifying the Constitution.
Rhode Island also had other issues with the Constitution, including fear of direct federal taxes and aversion to the lengthy terms for members of Congress. Additionally, Rhode Island wanted further checks and securities limiting federal power before they would adopt the Constitution.
Rhode Island acquired a reputation for opposing a closer union with the other former British colonies that had formed the United States of America. It vetoed an act of the Congress of the Confederation, which earned it the nickname "Rogue Island". One provision of the Articles of Confederation stated that an amendment to the Articles could only be made with the approval of all the states, and this gave any state a functional veto power over amendments.
Rhode Island's opposition to the Constitution was not without consequences. In 1790, the United States Senate passed a bill that would ban all trade with Rhode Island if enacted, effectively isolating the state from the Union. Faced with strong federal and internal pressure, the Rhode Island legislature capitulated and ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, by a vote of 34 to 32, the narrowest margin of any state.
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Fear of direct federal taxes
The ratification of the United States Constitution by Rhode Island was a controversial process. Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, only doing so after the United States threatened a trade embargo against the state for non-compliance.
Rhode Island's opposition to the Constitution was largely due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party. This was intended to pay off the state's burdensome Revolutionary War debt. However, another significant factor was the fear of direct federal taxes.
Rhode Island had a history of opposing federal taxes. In 1781, the state vetoed the proposed Impost, or Tariff, which would have given the central government a significant source of revenue. This pattern continued with the state's opposition to the Constitution, which included concerns about the potential for unrestrained central government power and the desire to protect state sovereignty. The Constitution's Article I, Section 10 prohibited states from issuing paper money, and Rhode Island's rural-dominated General Assembly waited until the currency plan had run its course before ratifying the Constitution with provisional amendments.
The fear of direct federal taxes was not unique to Rhode Island, and it was a concern for many Americans at the time. The Constitution's supporters, known as Federalists, also threatened Rhode Island with tariffs and other financial demands to pressure the state into ratifying the document. Enraged Federalists even boycotted the balloting process, demonstrating the strong opposition to the imposition of federal taxes.
In addition to the fear of direct federal taxes, Rhode Island had other concerns about the Constitution. The state wanted further checks and balances to limit federal power and sought to protect individual liberties, especially religious freedom. These factors, combined with the fear of direct federal taxes, contributed to Rhode Island's initial reluctance to ratify the Constitution.
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Opposition to paper money
The Constitution of the United States was ratified by Rhode Island in 1790, making it the last of the 13 states to do so. Rhode Island was the only state that did not participate in the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, which approved the document on September 17, 1787.
Rhode Island's opposition to ratifying the Constitution was chiefly due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party. The Constitution prohibited state paper money and this threatened a convenient way for Rhode Island to eliminate its wartime debt. The state's paper money was issued in quarterly installments to pay off the state's wartime debt.
The Constitution contains only two sections dealing with monetary issues. Section 8 permits Congress to coin money and to regulate its value. Section 10 denies states the right to coin or print their own money. The framers intended a national monetary system based on coin and for the federal government to regulate this system. The delegates at the Constitutional Convention rejected a clause that would have given Congress the authority to issue paper money. They also rejected a measure that would have specifically denied that ability to the federal government.
The prohibition of paper money was one of the reasons why Rhode Island was reluctant to ratify the Constitution. The state eventually ratified the Constitution after the United States threatened a trade embargo against it for non-compliance.
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Aversion to lengthy terms for Congress members
The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations ("Rhode Island") was the last of the 13 states to ratify the United States Constitution in 1790. The ratification occurred after the United States threatened a trade embargo against Rhode Island for non-compliance. Rhode Island had a reputation for opposing a closer union with the other former British colonies that had formed the United States of America.
Rhode Island was the only state that did not participate in the Constitutional Convention's proceedings, which approved the document on September 17, 1787. The state vetoed an act of the Congress of the Confederation, earning it nicknames like "Rogue Island" and "the Perverse Sister". The convention then set about drafting a new Constitution.
Rhode Island's opposition to the Constitution was due to various factors, including its aversion to the lengthy terms for members of Congress. The state wanted "further checks and securities" to limit federal power before they would adopt the Constitution. This was in line with their general stance of wanting to limit federal power, as they also wished to retain the power to reassume the powers of government if necessary.
The lengthy terms for Congress members were not the only issue that Rhode Island had with the Constitution. The state also took issue with the potential for direct federal taxes and the lack of action on the slave trade. The large Quaker population in Rhode Island was particularly offended by the lack of provisions regarding the slave trade. Additionally, the state had its own paper money, issued in Rhode Island pounds, which conflicted with a unified national currency.
Rhode Island's decision to finally ratify the Constitution in 1790 was influenced by the threat of a trade embargo and the concerns of merchants who feared the consequences of import taxes on their businesses. The state's ratification included a list of proposed amendments, such as the abolition of the slave trade, reflecting their desire to address some of the issues they had with the original document.
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Support for state sovereignty
Rhode Island's opposition to the US Constitution was largely due to its support for state sovereignty. The state had a reputation for opposing a closer union with the other former British colonies that formed the United States. Rhode Island was the only state that did not send a representative to the Constitutional Convention, which approved the document on September 17, 1787.
Rhode Island's opposition to the Constitution was also due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party. This was intended to pay off the state's burdensome Revolutionary War debt. The new Constitution's Article I, Section 10 prohibited states from issuing paper money, which went against Rhode Island's interests.
Rhode Island also feared direct federal taxes and had an aversion to the lengthy terms for members of Congress. The state wanted to ensure that the powers of the government could be reassumed by the people if necessary, and sought further checks and securities limiting federal power. Additionally, Rhode Island wanted to see certain amendments taken up, such as the abolition of the slave trade and a no-poll tax amendment.
Rhode Island's legislature rejected 11 attempts to ratify the Constitution between September 1787 and January 1790. The state finally ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, under strong federal and internal pressure, becoming the last state to do so.
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Frequently asked questions
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution, more than a year after it went into effect. Rhode Island's opposition was due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party. They also feared direct federal taxes and had an aversion to the lengthy terms for members of Congress.
Rhode Island acquired a reputation for opposing a closer union with the other former British colonies that had formed the United States of America. It was nicknamed \"Rogue Island\" and \"the Perverse Sister".
Yes, on May 29, 1790, Rhode Island ratified the Constitution by a vote of 34 to 32, the narrowest margin of any state. This occurred after the United States threatened a trade embargo against Rhode Island for non-compliance.
Rhode Island's refusal was due to a combination of factors, including resistance to a potentially unrestrained central government, concern for state sovereignty and integrity, solicitude for individual liberty (especially religious freedom), opposition to slavery, and concern for democratic participation in the Constitution-making process.
