The Constitutional Debate• Before the Constitution could go into effect, 9

of the 13 states had to ratify (approve) it.

(pages 211–212)(pages 211–212)

• A great debate took place, with Americans discussing arguments for and against the Constitution.

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• Federalists supported the Constitution. George Washington, Ben Franklin, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton supported the Constitution.

The Constitutional Debate (cont.)

• Madison and Hamiltonwrote the Federalist Papers, a collection of essays explaining and defending the Constitution.

• The Antifederalists opposed ratification.

• They wrote a series of essays known as the Antifederalist Papers.

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•Antifederlists

• believed that the new Constitution would take away the liberties Americans had fought to win, create a strong central government, and ignore the will of the states and the people.

The Constitutional Debate (cont.)

• They wanted a bill of rights.

•Federalists

• feared disorder without a strong federal government and looked to the court to create a national government capable of maintaining order.

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• The Antifederalists feared oppression more than disorder.

The Constitutional Debate (cont.)

• They worried that the government would be run by a small educated group of people that would hold the power.

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Which group would you have sided with and why?

The Constitutional Debate (cont.)

Adopting the Constitution• The Constitution was ratified by all states,

despite opposition.

(page 213)(page 213)

• Delaware was the first to ratify on December 7, 1787.

• New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify on June 21, 1788.

• New York and Virginia, the two largest states, had not yet ratified.

• Both states had strong Antifederalist groups, and their support was necessary to promote the future of the new government.

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• Virginia ratified at the end of June 1788 after being told the Constitution would have a bill of rights added to it.

Adopting the Constitution (cont.)

• New York narrowly ratified in July 1788, North Carolina in November 1789, and Rhode Island in May 1790.

• Celebrations took place in hundreds of American towns and cities.

• The Constitution was finally ratified, and the new nation had a new government.

• A bill of rights was added in 1791.(page 213)(page 213)

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Why do you think all the states ended up ratifying the Constitution, despite opposition to it?

Adopting the Constitution (cont.)

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(page 213)(page 213)

Possible answer: As the majority of states ratified, the remaining states of New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and Rhode Island knew that the Constitution could go into effect but would be more effective if they also voted to ratify. These four states may not have wanted to be left out and probably voted to ratify so that the country would begin as a united nation, believing in the ideals they fought for and becoming a self-governing country.

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Checking for Understanding

__ 1. an addition to a formal document such as the Constitution

__ 2. the sharing of power between federal and state governments

__ 3. a special group of voters selected by their state legislatures to vote for the president and vice president

__ 4. a part of a document, such as the Constitution, that deals with a single subject

A. Enlightenment

B. federalism

C. article

D. Electoral College

E. amendment

Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on the left.

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Checking for Understanding

__5. movement during the 1700s that spread the idea that knowledge, reason, and science could improve society

A. Enlightenment

B. federalism

C. article

D. Electoral College

E. amendment

Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on the left.