U.S. Constitution Article VII. Ratification
U.S. Constitution – Article VII: Ratification
🔹 Text of Article VII:
“The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.”
🔍 Explanation:
Article VII of the U.S. Constitution is the final article and serves a very specific and limited purpose:
It sets the process by which the Constitution would take effect.
✅ Key Points:
Ratification by Nine States:
The article required that 9 out of the 13 original states must ratify (approve) the Constitution for it to become binding and effective among those nine states.
Not Dependent on Unanimous Consent:
Unlike the Articles of Confederation, which required unanimous consent of all 13 states for amendments, the Constitution needed only nine states to agree — a major shift in how legitimacy and governance were established.
Conventions, Not Legislatures:
Ratification had to occur through state conventions, not state legislatures.
This ensured that the decision rested with the people, not just existing political institutions.
🏛️ Historical Context:
The Constitutional Convention concluded in September 1787.
Debate over ratification was intense, especially between Federalists (supporters) and Anti-Federalists (opponents).
By June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the 9th state, thus making the Constitution effective.
Eventually, all 13 states ratified it.
📜 Significance:
Article VII marked the transition from the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution.
It reflected a new foundation of government: one that derived power from the people rather than from a league of sovereign states.
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