how did they ratify the constitution

What had to be done to ratify the Constitution?

Under Article V of the Constitution, there are two ways to propose and ratify amendments to the Constitution. To propose amendments, two-thirds of both houses of Congress can vote to propose an amendment, or two-thirds of the state legislatures can ask Congress to call a national convention to propose amendments.

How many of the 13 states ratified the Constitution?

U.S. Constitution ratified. As dictated by Article VII, the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. Beginning on December 7, five states—Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut—ratified it in quick succession. Secondly, which state ratified the constitution last? Rhode Island

How did the Constitution eventually get ratified?

On September 25, 1789, the first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution—the Bill of Rights—and sent them to the states for ratification. Ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791. In November 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Which states ratify the Constitution?

What 9 states ratified the Constitution?

• Delaware – December 7, 1787.
• Pennsylvania – December 12, 1787.
• New Jersey – December 18, 1787.
• Georgia – January 2, 1788.
• Connecticut – January 9, 1788.
• Massachusetts – February 6, 1788.
• Maryland – April 28, 1788.
• South Carolina – May 23, 1788.

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What was the process of ratifying the Constitution?

Ratification. The process set out in the Constitution for its ratification provided for much popular debate in the States. The Constitution would take effect once it had been ratified by nine of the thirteen State legislatures; unanimity was not required.

Why did only 9 states ratify the Constitution?

2, Cl. 3), the Framers believed that any combination of nine states would comprise a majority of American citizens. Even if the five most populous states all refused to ratify, the remaining nine still would represent a majority of the electorate.

How was the Constitution written and ratified?

The Constitution of the United States of America is signed by 39 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Supporters of the document waged a hard-won battle to win ratification by the necessary nine out of 13 U.S. states.

What are the 4 ways the Constitution can be ratified?

Four Methods of Amending the U.S. ConstitutionA two-thirds vote in both houses of the U.S. Congress. Ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures.A two-thirds vote in both houses of U.S. Congress. ... A national constitutional convention called by two-thirds of the state legislatures.

Why did it take so long to ratify the Constitution?

Yet, it would take until 1790 for all states to finally agree and ratify the Constitution. Disputes over the powers of the delegates, Anti-Federalist fears, and the lack of a Bill of Rights all caused roadblocks. But, compromises and promises by the new government led to an eventual resolution.

What events led to the ratification of the Constitution?

To get the Constitution ratified by all 13 states, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention had to reach several compromises. The three major compromises were the Great Compromise, the Three-Fifths Compromise, and the Electoral College.

How was the US Constitution ratified quizlet?

Ratification: 3/4ths of the states, voting either in special elections, or state conventions must vote to ratify (approve) an amendment to the Constitution.

What are the method of ratification?

To ratify amendments, three-fourths of the state legislatures must approve them, or ratifying conventions in three-fourths of the states must approve them.

What is the most common method used to ratify the Constitution?

To be ratified, three-fourths of the state legislatures must approve the proposed amendment. This is the method used in almost all of our current amendments.

What is the most common method of ratifying the Constitution?

a) The most common way to add an amendment to the Constitution would be to propose it by a 2/3 vote of each house of Congress and be ratified by 3/4 of the state legislatures.

Why did many states refused to ratify the Constitution unless?

The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution because they feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus threaten individual liberties, given the absence of a bill of rights.

Why did the framers decide only 9 of 13 states?

Why did the framers decide only 9 of 13 states would need to ratify the Constitution, rather than 13 of 13 needed for the Articles of Confederation. Because they expected some opposition to the document. What was the most significant argument of the Anti-Federalists?

Why didn't some states ratify the Constitution?

The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and press.

Why were the original 13 states hesitant to ratify the US Constitution?

The first five states to ratify the Constitution were Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, beginning Dec. 7, 1787. The rest of the states were still hesitant, disturbed by what they perceived as a lack of protection outlined for basic freedoms.

Who carried on a lively correspondence regarding the ratification of the Constitution?

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson carried on a lively correspondence regarding the ratification of the Constitution. In the following excerpt (reproduced as written) from a letter dated March 15, 1789, after the Constitution had been ratified by nine states but before it had been approved by all thirteen, Jefferson reiterates his previously expressed concerns that a bill of rights to protect citizens’ freedoms was necessary and should be added to the Constitution:

How did the Federalists win the day?

First, the Federalist position tended to win support among businessmen, large farmers, and, in the South, plantation owners. These people tended to live along the Eastern Seaboard. In 1787, most of the states were divided into voting districts in a manner that gave more votes to the eastern part of the state than to the western part. [7] Thus, in some states, like Virginia and South Carolina, small farmers who may have favored the Anti-Federalist position were unable to elect as many delegates to state ratification conventions as those who lived in the east. Small settlements may also have lacked the funds to send delegates to the convention. [8]

What were the objections to the Constitution?

One of the objections raised to the Constitution’s new government was that it did not set term limits for members of Congress or the president. Those who opposed a strong central government argued that this failure could allow a handful of powerful men to gain control of the nation and rule it for as long as they wished. Although the framers did not anticipate the idea of career politicians, those who supported the Constitution argued that reelecting the president and reappointing senators by state legislatures would create a body of experienced men who could better guide the country through crises. A president who did not prove to be a good leader would be voted out of office instead of being reelected. In fact, presidents long followed George Washington’s example and limited themselves to two terms. Only in 1951, after Franklin Roosevelt had been elected four times, was the Twenty-Second Amendment passed to restrict the presidency to two terms.

Why were anti-federalists so strong in the South?

Related to these concerns were fears that the strong central government Federalists advocated for would levy taxes on farmers and planters, who lacked the hard currency needed to pay them. Many also believed Congress would impose tariffs on foreign imports that would make American agricultural products less welcome in Europe and in European colonies in the western hemisphere. For these reasons, Anti-Federalist sentiment was especially strong in the South.

What did Hamilton say about the President?

68, provided assurance that placing the leadership of the country in the hands of one person was not dangerous. Electors from each state would select the president. Because these men would be members of a “transient” body called together only for the purpose of choosing the president and would meet in separate deliberations in each state, they would be free of corruption and beyond the influence of the “heats and ferments” of the voters. Indeed, Hamilton argued in Federalist No. 70, instead of being afraid that the president would become a tyrant, Americans should realize that it was easier to control one person than it was to control many. Furthermore, one person could also act with an “energy” that Congress did not possess. Making decisions alone, the president could decide what actions should be taken faster than could Congress, whose deliberations, because of its size, were necessarily slow. At times, the “decision, activity, secrecy, and dispatch” of the chief executive might be necessary.

What did Madison argue about the Federalist?

Objections that an elite group of wealthy and educated bankers, businessmen, and large landowners would come to dominate the nation’s politics were also addressed by Madison in Federalist No. 10. Americans need not fear the power of factions or special interests, he argued, for the republic was too big and the interests of its people too diverse to allow the development of large, powerful political parties. Likewise, elected representatives, who were expected to “possess the most attractive merit,” would protect the government from being controlled by “an unjust and interested [biased in favor of their own interests] majority.”

What states were outside the Union?

Two were the wealthy, populous states of Virginia and New York. In Virginia, James Madison’s active support and the intercession of George Washington, who wrote letters to the convention, changed the minds of many. Some who had initially opposed the Constitution, such as Edmund Randolph, were persuaded that the creation of a strong union was necessary for the country’s survival and changed their position. Other Virginia delegates were swayed by the promise that a bill of rights similar to the Virginia Declaration of Rights would be added after the Constitution was ratified. On June 25, 1788, Virginia became the tenth state to grant its approval.

What were the first steps in ratifying the Constitution?

The first steps in ratifying the new constitution occurred before and during the meeting of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in May 1787. A widespread, uncoordinated campaign took place throughout the country to convince the people that the Articles of Confederation needed to be revised to maintain the Union. David Humphreys of Connecticut wrote to George Washington shortly after the Convention adjourned that “the well-affected have not been wanting in efforts to prepare the minds of the citizens for the favorable reception of whatever might be the result of your Proceedings. . . . Judicious & well-timed publications have great efficacy in ripening the judgment of men.” All of America’s newspapers supported the Convention and encouraged their readers to adopt whatever was proposed. The printers of the Northern Centinel in Lansingburgh, N.Y., admitted that they “conceived it as a duty incumbent on them to prepare the minds of their readers for” the Convention’s proposal. This widespread confidence was generated partially because of the stature of the Convention delegates, particularly George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Consequently, when the Convention adjourned the American people and their state legislatures had a proclivity to accept the Convention’s recommendations.

What did the Antifederalists want to indicate?

Antifederalists also wanted to indicate that the ratification process suggested by the Philadelphia Convention violated the amendment procedure provided by the Articles of Confederation and the congressional resolution of February 21, 1787, that called for the Convention only to amend the Articles. Furthermore, the delegates themselves had violated ...

How long did it take to draft the Articles of Confederation?

Seven states ratified the Articles quickly while also submitting proposed amendments to the Articles. Congress rejected all of the proposed amendments. It took three and a half years to ratify the Articles because of the requirement of the unanimous approval of the state legislatures. Between 1781 and 1787, Congress proposed and the states considered half a dozen amendments to the Articles to strengthen the powers of Congress. All of them had the support of a large majority of both the states and the people. But because the Articles required the unanimous ratification of the state legislatures, none of the amendments were adopted. Slim majorities in one or two states opposed the transference of power from the states to Congress. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were familiar with this decade-long constitutional heritage.

Why did the Federalists send the Constitution to the states without approbation?

But, because they wanted to avoid any indication that there was opposition to the Constitution in Congress, they agreed to send the Constitution to the states without congressional approbation if all debate over the Constitution (including Lee’s bill of rights) would be stricken from Congress’ Journals. Astute politicians, Federalist leaders then included the word “unanimously” in the congressional resolution of September 28, 1787, sending the Constitution to the states with the recommendation that specially-elected conventions be called to ratify the Constitution. When told of the trickery, Washington responded to Madison: “Not everyone has opportunities to peep behind the curtain; and as the multitude often judge from externals, the appearance of unanimity in that body, on this occasion, will be of great importance.”

Why was widespread confidence generated?

This widespread confidence was generated partially because of the stature of the Convention delegates, particularly George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. Consequently, when the Convention adjourned the American people and their state legislatures had a proclivity to accept the Convention’s recommendations.

What did slim majority states oppose?

Slim majorities in one or two states opposed the transference of power from the states to Congress . The delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were familiar with this decade-long constitutional heritage.

How many states have bicameral legislatures?

Furthermore, eleven states had bicameral legislatures, meaning that two struggles would be necessary to obtain a single state’s adoption. Conventions would also allow prominent men who were not state legislators to participate in the ratification debate.

How Long Did the Ratification of the Constitution Take?

The process concerning the Ratification of the Constitution was ambiguous in applicable procedure; due to the statutes expressed within the Articles of Confederation – the existing legislative document prior to the Ratification of the Constitution – a clash existing between preexisting legislation and legislation latent within the Constitution of the United States added difficulty to the subsequent ratification process:

What replaced the preexisting ratification protocol?

Despite the Articles of Confederation, the new – Constitutional – process addressing the procedure in conjunction with the Ratification of the Constitution replaced the preexisting ratification protocol

Why were the perceived inadequacies within the initial precepts of Articles of Confederation contributor?

The perceived inadequacies within the initial precepts of Articles of Confederation were contributory to the effort to replace it with the Constitution; this measure was enacted by the Founding Fathers – the fathers of the Constitution were concerned that a single state could overturn an otherwise-communal consent.

What contingency was the ratification of the Constitution?

A major contingency of the ratification of the Constitution of the United States on the part of each individual state was their collective acceptance of a viable process of the selection of legislative representation; the protocol for representation expressed within the Articles of Confederation was viewed as flawed due to its uniformity with regard to every State – every state was granted equal apportionment regardless of size or population. The following proposals were set forth prior to the approval of the Connecticut Plan and subsequent ratification of the Constitution:

How many states are needed to ratify the Constitution?

In contrast to the ratification process expressed within Articles of Confederation, the process conveyed within the Constitution of the United States with regard to a ratification process expressed that the approval of no less than 9 states – out of the total 12 – would be required for the ratification of Amendments: ...

When was the Constitution ratified?

The Ratification of the Constitution took place on June 21st, 1788 . The Philadelphia Convention of 1787, which is also known as the Constitutional Convention, began on May 5th, 1787; this convention consisted of the finalization of the drafting process of the Constitution of the United States – the Constitution was finalized on September 17th, 1787.

How many legislative entities are there in the Virginia Plan?

The Virginia Plan proposed that Congress be comprised of 2 legislative entities, the lower and upper houses. The Lower Houses would be elected commensurate to each states’ population, and The Upper House would be elected by The Lower House.

Which states ratified the Constitution?

In February 1788, a compromise was reached under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was thus narrowly ratified in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland and South Carolina. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document, and it was subsequently agreed that government under the U.S. Constitution would begin on March 4, 1789. In June, Virginia ratified the Constitution, followed by New York in July.

What were the defects in the Articles of Confederation?

By 1786, defects in the post- Revolutionary War Articles of Confederation were apparent, such as the lack of central authority over foreign and domestic commerce. Congress endorsed a plan to draft a new constitution, and on May 25, 1787, the Constitutional Convention convened at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. On September 17, 1787, after three months of debate moderated by convention president George Washington, the new U.S. constitution, which created a strong federal government with an intricate system of checks and balances, was signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the convention. As dictated by Article VII, the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states.

How many people died in the Iran earthquake?

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What did Arthur Miller do to the House Committee on Un-American Activities?

Playwright Arthur Miller defies the House Committee on Un-American Activities and refuses to name suspected communists. Miller’s defiance of McCarthyism won him a conviction for contempt of court, which was later reversed by the Supreme Court. His passport had already been denied ...read more

What happened on June 21, 1779?

On June 21, 1779, Spain declares war on Great Britain, creating a de facto alliance with the Americans . Spain’s King Charles III would not consent to a treaty of alliance with the United States. For one imperial power to encourage another imperial power’s colonies in revolt was ...read more

Which state is the ninth and last necessary to ratify the Constitution?

New Hampshire becomes the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, thereby making the document the law of the land. New Hampshire becomes the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, thereby making the document the law of the land. By.

Which colony joined the United States in 1790?

On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island voted by two votes to ratify the document, and the last of the original 13 colonies joined the United States. Today the U.S. Constitution is the oldest written constitution in operation in the world.

How to override the SCOTUS?

The single way to override SCOTUS is by amending The Constitution in very clear language. If this cannot be achieved, then the decision of SCOTUS is the official interpretation of the law until such amendment can further clarify such law. see more. −.

Why was the Constitution created?

The constitution was always meant to be a living document and to be adaptable to the needs of the future. These guys were not infallible and they knew it. That is why they devised such a document so it could meet the needs of the future. The only way you can keep with the “originalist”theory is to completely ignore Chief Justice Marshall’s decision in McCulloch versus Maryland.

What was the new constitution governed by?

Until the new Constitution was ratified, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. That document was tailored to a newly formed nation made of states acting more like independent, sovereign countries, and it quickly became clear to some of America’s leaders that future stability required a stronger, more centralized government.

What was the Massachusetts compromise?

However, the terms of the Massachusetts Compromise reached in February 1788 stipulated that amendments to that effect—what became the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed. The constitution was subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and, finally, New Hampshire. After ratification, Congress set dates for ...

What did Jefferson and Madison do to help the House?

The two men struck a deal: Jefferson would persuade Madison, a man with significant influence in the House, to back Hamilton’s Funding Act, thereby garnering him the votes it would need to pass. In return, Hamilton would help Jefferson and Madison secure the votes needed to pass the Residence Act. The capital’s precise geographic location was left to President Washington, and on January 24, 1791—almost three years after the Constitution was first ratified—land was designated for construction.

Why is Dred Scott not a precedent?

Hence, Dred Scott is not legal precedent because it has been overridden by constitutional amendment. You can have a different view, but you can't have different facts.

Why did Hamilton want to set the capital of the United States?

Hamilton, now Secretary of the Treasury, sought passage of the Funding Act so that the federal government could assume state Revolutionary War debts and thus endow the government with more economic power. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson wanted to pass the Residence Act, which would set the location of the nation’s capital along the Potomac River and give the South increased political power to check the North’s growing economic power by placing the capital in a location friendly to Southern economic interests.

What was Alexander Hamilton's main goal in the Articles of Confederation?

Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation . Enlarge.

How many articles were written in the Constitution?

Near the end of the convention, a Committee of Style and Arrangement kneaded it into its final form, condensing 23 articles into seven in less than four days.

How many representatives did the Framers compromise?

The framers compromised by giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. They agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person. Slavery itself was a thorny question that threatened to derail the Union.

What did the founders do to the Constitution?

Ratification. The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Instead, they called for special ratifying conventions in each state.

What were the concerns about the Articles of Confederation?

Just a few years after the Revolutionary War, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared their young country was on the brink of collapse. America’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from ...

When was the Constitutional Convention?

The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1787 . The delegates shuttered the windows of the State House and swore secrecy so they could speak freely. Although they had gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation, by mid-June they had decided to completely redesign the government. There was little agreement about what form it would take.

Who signed for John Dickinson?

George Reed signed for John Dickinson of Delware, who was absent, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. It was an extraordinary achievement. Tasked with revising the existing government, the delegates came up with a completely new one.

What did the Federalists argue about the lack of a Bill of Rights?

To the lack of a Bill of Rights, the Federalists argued that such a list of rights would always be incomplete and that the Constitution as written adequately protected the people from the government. Finally, during the ratification debate in Virginia, James Madison promised that the first act of the new government under the Constitution would be the adoption of a Bill of Rights.

What did the Federalists argue about the Constitution?

The Federalist Papers. Favoring ratification, the Federalists responded, arguing that rejection of the Constitution would lead to anarchy and social disorder. Using the pen name Publius, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay countered Clinton’s Anti-Federalist Papers .

What was the most impactful objection to the Constitution?

Another often-expressed objection was that the Constitution reserved too many powers to the central government at the expense of “state’s rights.” Perhaps the most impactful objection to the Constitution was that the Convention had failed to include a Bill of Rights clearly enumerating the rights that would protect the American people from potentially excessive applications of government powers.

Why was the Constitution created?

Roughly a decade after the United States declared independence, the United States Constitution was created to replace the failing Articles of Confederation.

What was the Great Compromise?

Many compromises occurred over the course of the debate, including the Great Compromise, which tackled the thorny question of the relative representation of more and less populous states. The final document was then sent to the states for ratification. In order for the Constitution to become law, at least nine states would have to ratify it.

Why did the states meet in 1787?

Some states met to try and deal with their individual trade and economic issues. However, they soon realized that individual agreements would not be enough for the scale of problems that were arising. On May 25, 1787, all the states sent ...

How many votes did the amendments require?

Amendments required a unanimous vote, and individual laws required a nine-vote majority to pass. The delegates, who met in what was later called the Constitutional Convention, soon realized that changing the Articles would not be enough to fix the issues facing the new United States.

Preparing The Public For A New Constitution

See more on csac.history.wisc.edu

The Constitutional Convention Plans A Process of Ratification

The Confederation Congress Considers The New Constitution

What Is The Ratification of The Constitution?

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How Long Did The Ratification of The Constitution take?

Articles of Confederation and The Ratification of The Constitution

Constitutional Articles with Regard to The Ratification of The Constitution

Which States Participated in The Ratification of The Constitution?

The First 9 States

Subsequent Ratification of The Constitution

Difficulties Experienced with Regard to The Ratification of The Constitution

The Virginia Plan

The New Jersey Plan