ratification

Examples of ratification in the following topics:

• The Holdouts: Virginia and New York

  • New York and Virginia both faced ratification battles on ideological grounds.
  • It was within the power of the old Congress to expedite or block the ratification of the new Constitution.
  • What followed was an arduous process of ratification by specially constituted conventions.
  • A major issue during the Virginia Ratification Convention was the question of individual rights.
  • Examine the reasons why New York and Virginia hesitated to support the ratification of the Constitution

• From Property to Democracy

  • At the time of ratification of the Constitution, most states used property qualifications to restrict franchise.
  • At the time of ratification of the Constitution, most states used property qualifications to restrict franchise.
  • At the time of the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, all free native-born inhabitants of the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina, though descended from African slaves, were not only citizens of those States, but such of them as had the other necessary qualifications possessed the franchise of electors, on equal terms with other citizens. "
  • Differentiate the ways states restricted franchise after the ratification of the Constitution

• The Ratification Debate

  • The old Congress maintained the powers to expedite or block its ratification.
  • The fight for ratification was arduous, largely because special conventions were required in lieu of hearings within the state legislatures for ratification.
  • Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote a series of essays popularly referred to as The Federalist Papers, which supported ratification and attacked the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
  • Maryland and South Carolina also ratified, and then New Hampshire provided the all-important ninth ratification.
  • The process of organizing the government began soon after Virginia and New York's ratification.

• The Ratification of the Constitution

  • Those who favored ratification of the Constitution were known as Federalists, while those who opposed it were considered Anti- Federalists.
  • The fight for ratification was long and difficult, largely because special conventions were required in lieu of hearings within the state legislatures for ratification of the Constitution.
  • Those who favored ratification were known as Federalists, while those who opposed it were considered Anti-Federalists.
  • In a series of pamphlets supporting ratification, Federalists attacked the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
  • The process of organizing the government began soon after ratification by Virginia and New York.

• The Anti-Federalists

  • Anti-Federalists were those opposed to ratification of the US Constitution following the Revolutionary War.
  • During the period of debate over the Constitution's ratification, numerous independent local speeches and articles were published countrywide.
  • In North Carolina and Rhode Island it prevented ratification until definite establishment of the new government practically forced compliance.
  • The Anti-Federalists appealed to these sentiments in the ratification convention in Massachusetts.
  • Four of the next five states to ratify, including New Hampshire, Virginia, and New York, included similar language in their ratification instruments.

• The Final Document

  • Several states enlarged the numbers qualified just for electing ratification delegates.
  • The requirement of ratification by nine states, set by Article Seven of the Constitution, was met when New Hampshire voted to ratify on June 21, 1788.
  • Following Massachusetts's lead, the Federalist minorities in both Virginia and New York were able to obtain ratification in convention by linking ratification to recommended amendments.
  • After a year had passed in state-by-state ratification battles, on September 13, 1788, Congress certified that the new Constitution had been ratified.
  • Identify the reasons for why delegates initially opposed the ratification of the Constitution

• Federalists

  • Federalists supported ratification of the new United States Constitution and published The Federalist Papers to encourage support from the states.
  • These supported ratification and attacked the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
  • The Federalist Papers were written to support ratification of the Constitution, specifically in New York.
  • Separate ratification proceedings took place in each state, and the essays were not reliably reprinted outside of New York.
  • Specifically, the personal influence of well-known Federalists such as Hamilton and Jay was an important factor during ratification conventions.

• The Federalists

  • Federalism in the 1780s was an influential political movement that supported ratification of the Constitution.
  • Federalists supported the Constitution and campaigned heavily in each state for ratification.
  • The most forceful defense of the new Constitution was The Federalist Papers, a compilation of 85 anonymous essays published in New York City to convince the people of the state to vote for ratification.
  • The Federalist papers were written to support the ratification of the Constitution, specifically in New York.
  • Certainly the Federalist papers were more important in New York than anywhere else, although the personal influence of well-known Federalists (Hamilton and Jay) and Anti-Federalists (George Clinton) played an important factor in the debates and eventual ratification of the Constitution in New York as well.

• The Bill of Rights

  • The House of Representatives adopted them on on August 21, 1789, they were formally proposed by joint resolution of Congress on September 25, 1789, and they came into effect as Constitutional amendments on December 15, 1791, through the process of ratification by three-fourths of the states.
  • For example in Federalist No. 84, Alexander Hamilton argued against such amendments, asserting that ratification of the Constitution did not mean the American people were surrendering their rights and, therefore, protections were unnecessary.
  • The need for, or at least the desirability of, a bill of rights was almost universally felt, and the Anti-Federalists were able to play on these feelings in the ratification convention in Massachusetts.
  • Only after two leading Anti-Federalists, John Adams and John Hancock, negotiated a far-reaching compromise did the convention vote for ratification on February 6, 1788.
  • He looked for recommendations shared by many states so as to avoid controversy and reduce opposition to the ratification of future amendments.

• The Treaty of Paris

  • Copies were sent back to Europe for ratification by the other parties involved, the first reaching France in March.
  • British ratification occurred on April 9, 1784, and the ratified versions were exchanged in Paris on May 12, 1784.
  • Due to the slow rate of communication, the American general public became aware of the ratification somewhat later.
  • Ratification of the treaty was to occur within six months from the signing by the contracting parties.