Jonah Patel
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the US Constitution, doing so in 1790, more than a year after it went into effect. Rhode Island's opposition was chiefly due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786, which the new Constitution would have made illegal. The state also had concerns about the power of the central government, federal taxes, and the length of terms for members of Congress.
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What You'll Learn
Rhode Island's absence from the 1787 Constitutional Convention
Rhode Island was the only state that did not send delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention. This was chiefly due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party. The state's large Quaker population was also offended by provisions on the slave trade, while the Federalists' scorn for the state's "excess of democracy" made its residents see the Constitution as a threat.
Rhode Islanders disagreed with each other over the ratification of the Constitution. People in cities that relied on trade with other states wanted the Constitution to pass because having one currency would make interstate trade easier. On the other hand, farmers and others in the countryside didn't care as much about interstate trade and didn't want to give power to a central government.
Rhode Island's legislature rejected 11 attempts to ratify the Constitution between September 1787 and January 1790. The state held a referendum on the Constitution in March 1788, which was overwhelmingly defeated. The state's Antifederalists argued that only the people could ratify the Constitution, not a convention.
Eventually, due to secession threats from Providence, Newport, and Bristol, and fearing reprisals from the other 12 ratifying states, Rhode Island ratified the Constitution in May 1790, becoming the last state to do so.
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The state's resistance to central government power
The United States Constitution was a compromise in federalism that gave states baseline power but granted the federal government overriding power in certain areas. However, the issue of state and federal power has been a point of contention since the founding of the nation.
Rhode Island, the last state to ratify the Constitution, was a notable example of a state's resistance to central government power. The state had a long history of opposing federal authority, dating back to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where Rhode Island was the only state that refused to send delegates. The state's resistance was driven by several factors, including its concern over the concentration of power in the central government and the impact of the Constitution on its local practices, such as the issuance of paper money.
Rhode Island's opposition to the Constitution was also influenced by its unique political and economic context. The state had a strong tradition of democracy, with a large Quaker population that objected to provisions on the slave trade. Additionally, the state's paper money system, issued by the governing Country Party since 1786, would have been made illegal under the new Constitution.
The state's resistance to the Constitution was not without consequences. Rhode Island faced threats of secession from its own cities, such as Providence, Newport, and Bristol, and the potential for reprisals from the other ratifying states. Additionally, the US Senate passed a bill that would ban all trade with Rhode Island, effectively isolating the state from the Union. Faced with these pressures, Rhode Island eventually ratified the Constitution in 1790, but with a lengthy list of caveats and proposed amendments.
Rhode Island's resistance to central government power reflects a broader trend in American politics, where states have often pushed back against federal policies and laws. This dynamic has persisted throughout US history, with states continuing to assert their authority and influence in various ways, such as through nullification attempts or resistance to federal programs like Medicaid expansion under Obamacare.
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The issue of state-issued paper currency
Rhode Island's opposition to the Constitution was partly due to the state's practice of printing its own paper money, known as Rhode Island pounds, which had been issued since 1786 by the governing Country Party. The state legislature's decision to print 100,000 pounds worth of paper currency in a single month led to rampant inflation, making Rhode Island a symbol of the issues within the Confederation for many Americans. Opponents of state-issued paper currency advocated for a new Constitution that would ban it, and this was one of the reasons why Rhode Island was reluctant to participate in the Constitutional Convention.
Furthermore, the state's large Quaker population found the provisions regarding the slave trade offensive, and the Federalist scorn for Rhode Island's "excess of democracy" led residents to view the Constitution as a threat to their values. These factors contributed to the state's initial resistance to ratifying the Constitution.
However, as the only state operating outside the new governmental structure, Rhode Island eventually faced threats of secession from its own cities, such as Providence, Newport, and Bristol, as well as the possibility of economic isolation from the Union. Faced with these pressures, Rhode Island finally ratified the Constitution in 1790, on May 29, with a vote of 34 to 32, becoming the last state to join the Union.
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Opposition to the slave trade
Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the US Constitution, finally doing so on May 29, 1790—over a year after it went into effect. The state's opposition to the Constitution was due to several reasons, including its concern that the Constitution gave too much power to the central government at the expense of the states, and that it did not explicitly protect religious freedom. Another key issue was the Constitution's position on the slave trade.
Rhode Island's large Quaker population took issue with the Constitution's provisions on the slave trade. The state had a history of opposing slavery and the slave trade, and this was a major point of contention in the debate over ratification. The slave trade was a morally abhorrent practice that conflicted with the Quaker values of equality and social justice. The Constitution's failure to address this issue directly was a significant obstacle to Rhode Island's ratification.
The state's opposition to the slave trade was not just a matter of principle but also had economic implications. Rhode Island had strong economic ties to the North, which had a different economic system than the South, which relied heavily on slavery. By ratifying the Constitution without explicit protections against the slave trade, Rhode Island feared it would be complicit in perpetuating a system that conflicted with its values and threatened its economic interests.
Additionally, Rhode Island's stance on the slave trade was influenced by the state's unique history and culture. The state had a relatively small population and a strong sense of independence, having been the only state to refuse to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. This sense of independence and self-determination likely contributed to its resistance to any form of coercion, including the imposition of a system that condoned the slave trade.
The issue of the slave trade was so important to Rhode Island that it included the abolition of the slave trade as one of its proposed amendments to the Constitution upon ratification. This amendment was a direct response to the Constitution's lack of explicit protection against the slave trade, and it demonstrated the state's commitment to addressing this issue at a national level.
In conclusion, Rhode Island's opposition to the slave trade was a significant factor in its initial refusal to ratify the US Constitution. The state's moral, economic, and cultural objections to the slave trade reflected its values and priorities, and it was only when faced with the threat of isolation from the Union that Rhode Island finally capitulated and ratified the Constitution, with the understanding that its voice and amendments would be heard.
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The state's desire for a referendum
The state of Rhode Island was the last to ratify the US Constitution, holding out until 1790, more than a year after it went into effect. Rhode Island's opposition was chiefly due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786 by the governing Country Party. The new Constitution would have made the state's practice of printing paper money illegal. The state's large Quaker population was also offended by provisions on the slave trade.
Rhode Island was the only state not to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Instead, when asked to convene a state convention to ratify the Constitution, Rhode Island sent the ratification question to individual towns, asking them to vote. The state legislature called a statewide referendum on the Constitution to be held on 24 March 1788 in each of the state's thirty towns. The Federalists opposed the referendum because it violated the express wishes of the Federal Convention and Congress, and it was an inappropriate method of deciding a constitutional issue. The referendum did not allow for a full-scale discussion of the Constitution, nor did it provide a forum in which amendments could be proposed.
The first referendum rejected the Constitution by ten to one. However, fewer than half of the state's freemen had voted. The Constitution was also overwhelmingly defeated when the legislature tabulated the vote. Eventually, due to secession threats from Providence, Newport, and Bristol, and fearing reprisals from the other 12 ratifying states, Rhode Island held a convention and ratified the Constitution in 1790. The state's late arrival came after the new federal government commenced on April 1, 1789, and the First Congress had already passed 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
Rhode Island was the only state that did not send a representative to the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The state's opposition was due to the paper money issued in Rhode Island pounds since 1786, which the new Constitution would have made illegal.
The resulting rampant inflation made Rhode Island a dark symbol of what ailed the Confederation. Opponents of state-issued paper currency called for a new Constitution that would ban it.
Rhode Island was referred to as "Rogue Island" and was reviled by other states. American newspapers called it the "Quintessence of Villainy."
Rhode Island's large Quaker population was offended by provisions on the slave trade, and the state wanted to protect religious freedom. Additionally, farmers and others in the countryside didn't want to give power to a central government.
On May 18, 1790, the US Senate passed a bill to ban all trade with Rhode Island, effectively isolating the state. The Rhode Island General Assembly capitulated and ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, with a vote of 34 to 32.
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