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Ratifying the
Constitution
In this section you will learn
about the ratification of the
Constitution, and how
Americans across the nation
debated whether the
Constitution would produce the
best government.
The Constitution provides for a
Federalist form of government
in which power is shared
between the central (or federal)
government and states.
Those who supported the
Constitution were called
Federalists, and those who
opposed to the Constitution
were called Antifederalists.
James Madison
Alexander Hamilton
John Jay
The Federalist
papers were
published
together in a
book called The
Federalist.
FOR UNDERSTANDING
The Constitution provides for a
______ form of government.
• 1) Totalitarian
• 3) Direct Democratic
• 2) Federalist
• 4) Monarchial
Those who supported the
Constitution were called ______.
• 1) Tories
• 3) Federalists
• 2) Whigs
• 4) Loyalists
Those who opposed to the
Constitution were called ______.
• 1) Antifederalists
• 3) Loyalists
• 2) Federalists
• 4) Patriots
When the Antifederalists published
their views about the Constitution,
James Madison and others countered
with a series of essays called______.
• 1) Letters from a
Farmer in
Pennsylvania
• 2) the Articles of
Confederation
• 3) the Virginia Plan
• 4) The Federalist
papers
Federalists
• Supported removing some
powers from the states and
giving more powers to the
national government.
• Favored dividing powers
among different branches
of government.
• Proposed a single person to
lead the executive branch.
Antifederalists
• Wanted important political
powers to remain with the
states.
• Wanted the legislative branch
to have more power than the
executive.
• Feared that a strong executive
might become a king or tyrant.
• Believed a bill of rights needed
to be added to the Constitution
to protect people’s rights.
Patrick Henry and Virginia’s
George Mason, both
Antifederalists, refused to
ratify the Constitution until a
bill of rights was added.
George Mason
After Virginia ratified the
Constitution, New York soon
followed. A year later North
Carolina and later Rhode
Island also ratified the
Constitution in 1790.
Ratification of the Constitution
Date
1 December 7, 1787
2 December 12, 1787
3 December 18, 1787
4 January 2, 1788
5 January 9, 1788
6 February 6, 1788
7 April 28, 1788
8 May 23, 1788
9 June 21, 1788
10 June 25, 1788
11 July 26, 1788
12 November 21, 1789
13 May 29, 1790
State
Votes Yes No
Delaware
30
0
Pennsylvania
46
23
New Jersey
38 0
Georgia
26
0
Connecticut
128 40
Massachusetts
187 168
Maryland
63 11
South Carolina
149 73
New Hampshire
57
47
Virginia
89
79
New York
30 27
North Carolina
194 77
Rhode Island
34
3
Preamble to the Constitution
• We the People of the United States, in Order
to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide
for the common defense, promote the
general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of
Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do
ordain and establish this Constitution for the
United States of America.
By 1791 three quarters of the
states had ratified the first 10
amendments to the
Constitution which came to be
known as the Bill of Rights.
FOR UNDERSTANDING
Which of the following represented
the Federalist viewpoint?
• 1) Favored dividing
powers among
different branches of
government.
• 3) Feared that a
strong executive
might become a king
or tyrant.
• 2) Wanted the
legislative branch to
have more power
than the executive.
• 4) Wanted important
political powers to
remain with the
states.
Which of the following represented
the Antifederalists viewpoint?
• 1) Supported
• 3) Favored dividing
removing some
powers among
powers from the
different branches of
states and giving
government.
more powers to the
national government.
• 4) Believed a bill of
rights needed to be
• 2) Proposed a single
added to the
person to lead the
Constitution to
executive branch.
protect people’s
rights.
Patrick Henry and ______, refused to
ratify the Constitution until a bill of
rights was added.
• 1) George Mason
• 3) John Jay
• 2) Alexander Hamilton
• 4) Edmund
Randolph
After Virginia ratified the
Constitution New York soon
followed. A year later North
Carolina and later Rhode Island also
ratified the Constitution in ______.
• 1) 1763
• 3) 1783
• 2) 1790
• 4) 1776
By 1791 three quarters of the states
had ratified the first 10 amendments
to the Constitution which came to be
known as the ______.
• 1) Preamble
• 3) Federalist papers
• 2) Articles of
Confederation
• 4) Bill of Rights