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Chapter 2 Section 5: Ratifying the Constitution

Chapter 2 Section 5: Ratifying the Constitution. Ratifying the Constitution One of the major problems of the Articles of Confederation was the fact that the consent (permission) of all 13 states was needed to amend (change) any provision (rule/law) of the document.

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Chapter 2 Section 5: Ratifying the Constitution

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  1. Chapter 2 Section 5: Ratifying the Constitution

  2. Ratifying the Constitution One of the major problems of the Articles of Confederation was the fact that the consent (permission) of all 13 states was needed to amend (change) any provision (rule/law) of the document. The Framers realized how difficult it was to get all 13 states to agree on the same issue. Therefore, when they wrote the Constitution they made sure to change this rule. The Constitution stated, “The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same.” This meant that the Constitution only called for the approval of 9 States in order to make a change or adjustment to the document instead of needed the permission of all 13 states.

  3. Federalists & Anti-Federalists • The Constitution was not immediately accepted by everyone. Two groups quickly emerged in each of the States. The Federalists who favored the Constitution and the Anti-Federalists who opposed it. • Federalists • Supported the Constitution. • Were led by many of those who attended the Philadelphia Convention such as; James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay. • Stressed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. • Argued that many of the issues that the current government was having could be solved by the creation of a new government based on the Constitution.

  4. Anti-Federalists • Attacked nearly every part of the Constitution. • Headed by well-known Revolutionary War figures such as Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams. • Disagreed with the ratification (approval) process. • Worried that the President could become a monarch and Congress could become too powerful. • They argued that the Constitution did not contain any individual freedoms (no Bill of Rights). • They thought that separating the government into three branches (Leg, Exc, Jud) would water down their powers and take away the governments authority. • Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists • Both groups published papers and articles supporting their cause and criticizing their opponents.

  5. Ratification of the Constitution (chart of top of page 61) The contest for ratification of the Constitution was close in several states, but the Federalists finally prevailed in all of them. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire brought the number of ratifying States to nine. Under the new laws of the Constitution, New Hampshire’s ratification should have brought the Constitution into effect, but it did not. Neither Virginia nor New York had yet ratified. Without either of those key States the new government could not hope to succeed. Virginia ratified the Constitution for days after New Hampshire. Unfortunately the State of New York was much more difficult to convince. The State was divided and it took another 3-4 weeks of debate before it finally approved the Constitution on July 26, 1788.

  6. Inauguration On September 13, 1788 the Framers chose New York City as the temporary capital. The new Congress convened for the first time on March 4, 1789. On April 6 George Washington had been elected President by a unanimous vote. John Adams was elected Vice President by a large majority.

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