Eleanor Finch
Virginia's ratification of the Constitution was important because it was the tenth state to do so, and the new government began operating with eleven states on March 4, 1789. The Constitution should be ratified, along with any practical amendments, after the new nation was begun. The Virginia Ratification (Federal) Convention made a final vote, and the Constitution limited the national government to enumerated powers. The states would remain important because the House of Representatives were chosen by people in each state, and the Senate was chosen by the state legislatures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| The Constitution limited the national government to enumerated powers | The House of Representatives were chosen by people in each state, and the Senate was chosen by the state legislatures |
| The states would remain important | Each state in the Union shall respectively retain every power, jurisdiction and right which is not by this Constitution delegated to the Congress of the United States or to the departments of the Federal Government |
| Virginians reserved the right to withdraw from the new government | The remedy for federal “injury or oppression” included amending the Constitution |
| The Virginia Convention was different to the Pennsylvania Convention | In the Virginia Convention, Federalists made efforts to reconcile with the Anti-federalists by recommending amendments like that of Virginia's Bill of Rights preamble to its 1776 Constitution |
| The Constitution should be ratified, along with any "practical" amendments | After the new nation was begun |
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What You'll Learn
- The Constitution limited the national government to enumerated powers
- Virginians reserved the right to withdraw from the new government
- The Virginia Ratification Convention made efforts to reconcile Federalists and Anti-federalists
- The Constitution should be ratified, along with any practical amendments
- Each state in the Union shall retain every power, jurisdiction and right not delegated to the Congress of the United States or the Federal Government
The Constitution limited the national government to enumerated powers
The Constitution also stated that each state in the Union shall respectively retain every power, jurisdiction and right which is not by this Constitution delegated to the Congress of the United States or to the departments of the Federal Government. The powers granted under the Constitution being derived from the People of the United States may be resumed by them whensoever the same shall be perverted to their injury or oppression and that every power not granted thereby remains with them and at their will.
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Virginians reserved the right to withdraw from the new government
The Virginia Ratification Convention made a final vote, declaring that the powers granted under the Constitution could be resumed by the people of Virginia if they were perverted to their injury or oppression. This right of resumption was based on the understanding that the powers granted under the Constitution were derived from the people and could be taken back by them if necessary.
Furthermore, the Convention affirmed that each state in the Union would retain all powers, jurisdictions, and rights not specifically delegated to the Congress of the United States or the Federal Government. This ensured that the states maintained a level of autonomy and self-governance, even as they joined the Union under the new Constitution.
The ratification of the Constitution by Virginia, along with any practical amendments, was an important step towards establishing the new nation. It demonstrated a commitment to the principles of federalism and a recognition of the need for flexibility and adaptation in governance.
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The Virginia Ratification Convention made efforts to reconcile Federalists and Anti-federalists
The Virginia Ratification Convention was important because it was the tenth state to ratify the new Constitution. The new government began operating with eleven states on March 4, 1789, after New York followed a month later on July 26, 1788. The states would remain important because the House of Representatives were chosen by people in each state, and the Senate was chosen by the state legislatures. The Constitution limited the national government to enumerated powers.
The Virginia Ratification Convention also ensured that the states would retain their powers, jurisdiction and rights that were not delegated to the Congress of the United States or the Federal Government. The remedy for federal “injury or oppression” included amending the Constitution. The people of Virginia reserved the right to withdraw from the new government if the powers granted under the Constitution were perverted to their injury or oppression.
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The Constitution should be ratified, along with any practical amendments
The Constitution should be ratified because it is important that the states remain important. The House of Representatives is chosen by people in each state, and the Senate is chosen by the state legislatures. The Constitution limits the national government to enumerated powers.
The Virginia Ratifying Convention was different from the Pennsylvania Convention, where the Federalists railroaded the Anti-federalists in an all-or-nothing choice. In the Virginia Convention, the Federalists made efforts to reconcile with the Anti-federalists by recommending amendments like that of Virginia's Bill of Rights preamble to its 1776 Constitution. The American experiment was imagined to become one of successive constitutional changes to meet changing circumstances.
The Constitution should be ratified with the understanding that each state in the Union shall respectively retain every power, jurisdiction, and right which is not by this Constitution delegated to the Congress of the United States or to the departments of the Federal Government. The powers granted under the Constitution are derived from the People of the United States and may be resumed by them if they are perverted to their injury or oppression. Therefore, no right of any denomination can be cancelled, abridged, restrained, or modified by the Congress, the Senate, or the House of Representatives, except in those instances in which power is given by the Constitution for those purposes.
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Each state in the Union shall retain every power, jurisdiction and right not delegated to the Congress of the United States or the Federal Government
Virginia was the tenth state to ratify the new Constitution. The Virginia Ratification (Federal) Convention made a final vote on the Constitution, which should be ratified, along with any "practical amendments", after the new nation was begun.
The Constitution should be ratified because it limited the national government to enumerated powers. The states would remain important because the House of Representatives were chosen by people in each state, and the Senate was chosen by the state legislatures.
The Virginia Convention was also important because it saw Federalists make efforts to reconcile with Anti-federalists by recommending amendments like that of Virginia's Bill of Rights preamble to its 1776 Constitution. The American experiment was imagined to become one of successive constitutional changes to meet changing circumstances.
The Constitution also allowed the people of Virginia to retain every power, jurisdiction and right which is not by this Constitution delegated to the Congress of the United States or to the departments of the Federal Government. This meant that the people of Virginia reserved the right to withdraw from the new government. The remedy for federal “injury or oppression” included amending the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
Virginia was the tenth state to ratify the Constitution, and the new government began operating with eleven states on March 4, 1789.
The Virginia Ratifying Convention was important because it recommended the addition of a bill of rights, although it did not make ratification contingent upon it. The Federalists also made efforts to reconcile with the Anti-federalists by recommending amendments.
The Constitution delegated powers to the Congress of the United States, including the power to resume the rights of the people of Virginia if they were perverted to their injury or oppression.
The states played an important role in the ratification process because the House of Representatives was chosen by the people in each state, and the Senate was chosen by the state legislatures.
