In September of that year, the first U.S. In 1789, the ratification of constitutional amendments began.
The new government assured people that its first move as a new government would be to adopt a bill of rights. Ratification of Constitutional AmendmentsĪfter the ratification of the Constitution came the ratification of the constitutional amendments. Today, the Constitution is the oldest written constitution in the world to still be in use. However, once Rhode Island agreed to ratify the Constitution, they became the last of the 13 original colonies to do so. They were also upset with how the government chose to handle the issue of slavery. Rhode Island was upset about the government having control of the nation’s currency. Rhode Island resisted ratifying the Constitution until May 1790, after the government threatened to cut off all business dealings with the state. North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the Constitution in 1789. Constitution was complete, with New Hampshire rounding out the ninth entry. And so, in 1788, the ratification of the U.S. They agreed to sign if the states would agree to add those rights in later as amendments – which they did. In 1788, Massachusetts reached a compromise with the other states. Among other reasons, Massachusetts was upset that the Constitution lacked protections of basic rights, like freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. Massachusetts, on the other hand, opposed it. However, Article VII of the Constitution specified that, until 9 of the 13 states ratified it, the Constitution would not be official.įive states were quick to ratify it: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. After 3 months of debates headed up by George Washington, 38 of the 41 present delegates signed the newly-proposed Constitution. Constitution, as the American people know it today, began in 1787. If the treaty is silent on the issue, then accession can only occur if the states agree on the principle in general, or as it pertains to the specific state. For instance, a treaty may permit accession of all other states, or it may specify the exact states that can take advantage of it. Accession, and the procedures involved with it, vary based on the provisions of the individual treaty. The only difference is that accession typically takes place after the enforcement of the treaty. Legally, accession is the same as ratification. When a state agrees to become a party to a treaty that other states have already signed, this is known as accession. If Congress approves the amendment, it is sent out to the states for ratification, which then confirms that the amendment is both valid and enforceable. In the case of the United States, this would be Congress. When the amendment is ready for ratification, it goes before the governing body responsible for ratifying it.