Identify key issues in the constitutional debate

Question

Explain how the Constitution was ratified
Describe how the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution

Answer 1

Key issues in the constitutional debate:

1. Balancing power: One of the key issues in the constitutional debate was how to divide and balance power between the national government and the states. Some delegates, known as Federalists, believed in a strong central government, while others, known as Anti-Federalists, were wary of giving too much power to the national government and wanted to protect the rights of the states.

2. Representation: Another key issue was how to determine representation in the national government. Smaller states were concerned about being overshadowed by larger states, while larger states wanted their population to have a greater influence.

3. Slavery: Slavery was a deeply contentious issue during the constitutional debate. Southern states relied heavily on slave labor, and there was considerable debate about how slaves should be counted for representation purposes and whether or not slavery should be protected or abolished.

4. Executive power: The nature and extent of executive power was also a significant issue. Some delegates worried about creating a president with too much power and potentially turning the executive branch into a monarchy.

How the Constitution was ratified:

The Constitution was ratified through a process outlined in Article VII of the document itself. The process involved two steps:

1. Ratification by state conventions: The proposed Constitution was sent to each state to be considered by a specially elected state convention. The convention delegates debated the merits of the Constitution, and if a majority approved, the state ratified it.

2. Ratification by nine states: The Constitution would come into effect once it was ratified by nine out of the thirteen states. This was done to ensure broad support and consensus among the states. The first state to ratify was Delaware on December 7, 1787, and the ninth state was New Hampshire on June 21, 1788, officially establishing the Constitution.

How the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution:

The Bill of Rights, comprising the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was added to address concerns about individual liberties and further safeguard the rights of citizens. The process for adding the Bill of Rights can be divided into three steps:

1. Proposal: James Madison, a prominent Federalist, suggested the addition of a bill of rights during the first session of the newly formed Congress in 1789. He drafted an initial version, which was then debated and modified.

2. Ratification by states: Once the proposed amendments were finalized, they were sent to the states for ratification. The required threshold for ratification was the approval of three-fourths (or 75%) of the states. Ten out of the original thirteen states ratified the Bill of Rights by 1791, with Virginia being the final state to do so.

3. Addition to the Constitution: Upon achieving the necessary three-fourths majority, the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution and began to protect individual liberties, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to a fair trial.