Contents
What were the problems with ratifying the Constitution?
In the ratification debate, the Anti-Federalists opposed to the Constitution. They complained that the new system threatened liberties, and failed to protect individual rights. The Anti-Federalists weren’t exactly a united group, but instead involved many elements.
What was the struggle for ratification?
The Struggle for Ratification
| Issue | Federalists |
|---|---|
| Popular Sovereignty | Feared too much democracy, so advocated limited popular election of federal officials |
| Federal Power | Wanted a strong federal government to hold the nation together |
| State Power | Believed that states are ultimately subordinate to the federal government |
What was the single biggest problem in ratifying the Constitution?
A central issue at the Convention was whether the federal government or the states would have more power. Many delegates believed that the federal government should be able to overrule state laws, but others feared that a strong federal government would oppress their citizens.
Why were some states slow to ratify the Constitution?
They did not believe they needed the federal government to defend them and disliked the prospect of having to provide tax money to support the new government. Thus, from the very beginning, the supporters of the Constitution feared that New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia would refuse to ratify it.
What were the arguments for and against ratifying the Constitution?
The Federalists wanted a strong government and strong executive branch, while the anti-Federalists wanted a weaker central government. The Federalists did not want a bill of rights —they thought the new constitution was sufficient. The anti-federalists demanded a bill of rights.
What did it take to finally ratify the Constitution?
Instead, on September 28, Congress directed the state legislatures to call ratification conventions in each state. Article VII stipulated that nine states had to ratify the Constitution for it to go into effect. Significantly, state conventions, not Congress, were the agents of ratification.
What were the 5 issues involved in ratification debate?
The ratification debate involved the following five issues: centralization of power, the powers granted to the executive branch, the Bill of Rights, the issue of slavery and whether the formation of the constitution was legal.
Why did Virginia not ratify the Constitution?
Governor Edmund Randolph, who had refused to sign the Constitution in the Philadelphia Convention, chose Virginia’s Ratifying Convention to support adoption. George Mason had refused to sign due to the lack of a Bill of Rights in Philadelphia and would continue in his opposition.
What states did not ratify the Constitution?
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
Which state did not ratify the Constitution?
Rhode Island
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified to become part of the Constitution until the end of the following year.
Why was there opposition to the ratification of the Constitution?
Support for the Federalists was especially strong in New England. Opponents of ratification were called Anti-Federalists. Anti-Federalists feared the power of the national government and believed state legislatures, with which they had more contact, could better protect their freedoms.
How many states had to ratify the Constitution?
THE RATIFICATION PROCESS Article VII, the final article of the Constitution, required that before the Constitution could become law and a new government could form, the document had to be ratified by nine of the thirteen states.
Why was there so much dissatisfaction with the Constitution?
In response to these fears, the federal government created federal courts in each of the states as well as in Maine, which was then part of Massachusetts, and Kentucky, which was part of Virginia. [1] Perhaps the greatest source of dissatisfaction with the Constitution was that it did not guarantee protection of individual liberties.
Why did the founders want to ratify the Constitution?
Their chief concern was strengthening the national government in order to promote unity and stability. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of newspaper articles to convince New Yorkers to ratify the Constitution.