The Ratification Process

The End of the Convention On September 17, 1787, after four months of heated debate and hard won compromises, 38 of the remaining 41 delegates in Philadelphia signed the Constitution. However, these signatures were not enough for the Constitution to become the official government of the United States. According to Article VII, a process called Ratification, needed to be completed before the new Constitution could go into effect.

Article VII The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same. How is this process different from the Articles of Confederation in two ways? 9, instead of 13, states were needed to ratify the document Ratification would take place in special state conventions and NOT in state legislatures.

The Ratification Debate Although the 38 signers of the Constitution were in favor of the new government they created, the rest of the population was less enthusiastic. Two opposing groups quickly formed t debate the Constitution in the state conventions. The Federalists _______________ the ratification of the Constitution. They named themselves after the principle of Federalism which divided power between central and state governments. Some important Federalists were: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay

The Ratification Debate The opposition to Ratification became known as the ______________________. The objections of the Anti-Federalists included: -The convention did not simply revise the Articles -The new central government too much power (tax and regulate trade) -Individual states lost power (especially NY and VA) -Too many wealthy landowners were selected to write the document. -Document lacked formal protection of individual rights. Some influential Anti-Federalists were: RHODE ISLAND, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, James Monroe, George Mason and Robert Yates

The Federalist Papers The Federalists had a tremendous advantage in winning the debate over Ratification. Many of the leading Federalists helped to write the Constitution and they knew the best arguments to make their case. Between October 1787 and April 1788, 85 of the strongest arguments for the Constitution were published anonymously in NY newspapers. This collection of essays, known as The Federalist Papers, is now known to have been written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay.

The Federalist Papers Some of the most famous and cited essays from The Federalist Papers were: Federalist No. 10 “a strong republic would be a better guard against those dangers (factions) than smaller republics—for instance, the individual states.” Federalist No. 51 “the safeguards created by the convention to maintain the separate branches of government, and to protect the rights of the people.” Despite these arguments, Anti-Federalism was still strong among the citizens of Virginia, New York and among many rural farmers.

Ratification Chart Questions 1.How are the results of the first five states to ratify similar? 2.How did the results in Massachusetts differ? 3.After which state ratified the Constitution did it become official? How long did it take? 4.Describe the results of the state conventions in Virginia and New York. 5.Why might Rhode Island have taken so long to ratify the Constitution?

The Bill of Rights James Madison’s believed that a formal Bill of Rights protecting individual liberties was unnecessary and redundant. However, to secure the ratification of VA, and later NY, he promised to add them later. By September 1789, 12 amendments were formally proposed by Congress and sent to the states for Ratification. By December 1791, 10 amendments returned from the states with the required approval. These first ten amendments became known as the Bill of Rights.

Article V The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate. How is this different from the Articles of Confederation? Do you think it is easier or harder?