Changes

The final two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island, still opposed the Constitution and did not ratify it until after George Washington began serving as president.  North Carolina ratified it in 1789.  Rhode Island, known for its "separation of church and state," had an economic reason for not ratifying the Constitution:  Rhode Island wanted to hold onto its power to tax imports at its ports along the ocean, which the Constitution would take away from it.  Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until 1790, after the other 12 states threatened to boycott it.

The final two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island, still opposed the Constitution and did not ratify it until after George Washington began serving as president.  North Carolina ratified it in 1789.  Rhode Island, known for its "separation of church and state," had an economic reason for not ratifying the Constitution:  Rhode Island wanted to hold onto its power to tax imports at its ports along the ocean, which the Constitution would take away from it.  Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until 1790, after the other 12 states threatened to boycott it.

The U.S. Constitution is the longest governing constitution in the history of the world.  Containing merely 4,424 words (not including the signatures), the Constitution is only about half the length of this lecture.  The Constitution is the shortest of any large country, and the most elegant.

The U.S. Constitution is the longest governing constitution in the history of the world.  Containing merely 4,424 words (not including the signatures), the Constitution is less than half the length of this lecture.  The Constitution is the shortest of any large country, and the most elegant.

The first ten amendments -- the Bill of Rights -- were passed by the first Congress in 1789 and ratified by all the states by 1791.  New Jersey was the first to ratify the Bill of Rights.  Twelve amendments were sent to the states, but the Constitution requires that three-quarters of the states approve a proposed amendment in order for it to be ratified, and two of the twelve amendments did not attain three-quarters approval.  Virginia's legislature was the last to ratify the Bill of Rights, on December 15, 1791, which was ironic because its Virginia Declaration of Rights was the basis for James Madison in drafting the Bill of Rights.

The first ten amendments -- the Bill of Rights -- were passed by the first Congress in 1789 and ratified by all the states by 1791.  New Jersey was the first to ratify the Bill of Rights.  Twelve amendments were sent to the states, but the Constitution requires that three-quarters of the states approve a proposed amendment in order for it to be ratified, and two of the twelve amendments did not attain three-quarters approval.  Virginia's legislature was the last to ratify the Bill of Rights, on December 15, 1791, which was ironic because its Virginia Declaration of Rights was the basis for James Madison in drafting the Bill of Rights.