The procedure for ratifying the U.S. Constitution involved several key steps:
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Drafting: The Constitution was drafted during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, where delegates debated and refined its contents.
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Publication and Public Discourse: Once the draft was completed, it was published and disseminated to the public to encourage discussion and debate. This included the Federalist Papers, which were essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay advocating for the Constitution.
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State Conventions: The Constitution required ratification by nine of the thirteen states. Each state held its own ratifying convention to discuss and vote on the document.
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Voting: Delegates at each state's convention debated the merits and drawbacks of the Constitution. A majority vote was needed for ratification in each state.
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Certification: Once a state ratified the Constitution, notifications were sent to the Confederation Congress, which recorded the ratification.
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Establishment of a New Government: The Constitution officially went into effect on June 21, 1788, after New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. The new government was established in March 1789.
This process emphasized the principle of federalism and the importance of state participation in the formation of the national government.