The Constitution was ratified through a process in which each state individually voted on whether to accept it. Delaware was the first state to ratify on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The main argument made by the Federalists, who supported the Constitution, was that it would bring about an improved system of government.
The debate over ratification was particularly significant in Massachusetts, where prominent patriots Sam Adams and John Hancock initially withheld their support. However, they eventually convinced the state convention to recommend adding a bill of rights to the Constitution. Massachusetts ratified in February 1788. New Hampshire joined ranks as the ninth state in June of that same year, allowing the new government to go into effect.
The ratification process faced significant opposition in New York and Virginia, both large states. Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Governor Edmund Randolph led the opposition in Virginia, with Patrick Henry giving a lengthy seven-hour speech against ratification. However, James Madison presented clear and patient arguments in favor of the Constitution. Eventually, Governor Randolph changed his mind and Virginia voted to ratify in late June.
In New York, the struggle continued for another month, but the state convention eventually voted to ratify in July 1788. North Carolina ratified in November 1789, and finally, Rhode Island, the last state to ratify, did so on May 29, 1790.
The ratification of the Constitution created a new system of government for the United States, which remains in effect today. The news of ratification was celebrated throughout the country, with Philadelphia holding a festive parade and raising the Constitution proudly above a carriage shaped like an eagle.
The Ratification Process
One by one, the states voted. Delaware led the way, ratifying on December 7, 1787. Pennsylvania and New Jersey soon followed. In these states, as in the states that ratified later, the main cause behind ratification was that Federalists were able to convince a majority of delegates that the Constitution would bring an improved system of government. The Debate in New England Massachusetts was the first key battleground. There, the old patriots Sam Adams and John Hancock held back their support. The delay seemed “very ominous,” wrote Madison. Finally, Adams and Hancock convinced the state convention to recommend adding a bill of rights to the Constitution. Still the debate continued. “Some gentlemen say, don't be in a hurry … don't take a leap in the dark,” a Federalist farmer told his fellow delegates. “I say … gather fruit when it is ripe.” In February 1788, Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify. In June, New Hampshire joined ranks as the ninth state. The new government could now go into effect. Still, the nation's unity remained in doubt. New York and Virginia, two of the largest states, had not yet ratified the plan. In both states, Federalists and Antifederalists were closely matched. A Vote to Ratify After Long Debates In Virginia, Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Governor Edmund Randolph led the opposition. Still a spellbinding speaker, Henry at one point spoke for seven hours. Soft-spoken, James Madison could not match Henry's dramatic style. Yet his arguments in favor of the Constitution were always clear, patient, and to the point.The tide finally turned when Governor Randolph changed his mind. He gave his support only when the Federalists promised to support a bill of rights. Virginia voted to ratify in late June.
In New York, the struggle went on for another month. In July 1788, the state convention voted to ratify. North Carolina followed in November 1789. Only Rhode Island, which had refused to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention, remained. On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became the last state to ratify the Constitution. The effect of ratification was to create a new system of government for the United States, the same basic system that remains in effect today. Celebration of a New Constitution Throughout the land, Americans celebrated the news that the Constitution was ratified. The city of Philadelphia set its festival for July 4, 1788. A festive parade filed along Market Street, led by soldiers who had fought in the Revolution. Thousands cheered as six colorfully outfitted horses pulled a blue carriage shaped like an eagle. Thirteen stars and stripes were painted on the front, and the Constitution was raised proudly above it. Benjamin Rush, a Philadelphia doctor and strong supporter of the Constitution, wrote to a friend, “‘Tis done. We have become a nation.”
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The Constitution was ratified through a process where each state voted on whether to accept it. Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey were among the first to ratify, convinced by the Federalists' arguments for an improved system of government. Massachusetts initially held back, but eventually recommended adding a bill of rights and ratified. Virginia and New York had intense debates, but both eventually ratified after promises of a bill of rights. North Carolina and Rhode Island followed suit. The Constitution's ratification created a new government for the United States, celebrated with a festive parade in Philadelphia.
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