Changes

:Article V outlines the procedures for amending the Constitution.  Contrary to the Articles of Confederation, unanimous consent of the states is not required to amend the Constitution.   

:Article V outlines the procedures for amending the Constitution.  Contrary to the Articles of Confederation, unanimous consent of the states is not required to amend the Constitution.   

:Article VI declares the Constitution the supreme Law of the Land.   

:Article VI declares the Constitution to be the supreme Law of the Land.   

:Article VII provides for the procedure to ratify the Constitution.

:Article VII establishes the procedure for ratifying the Constitution.

The Constitution itself (before passage of the Bill of Rights adding the first ten amendments) contains several important protections of individual rights, including a right to a jury trial and a prohibition on any bill of attainder, which was a practice in England whereby the legislature would punish an individual by naming him in legislation.  Under the Constitution, only courts can punish individual citizens.

The Constitution itself (before passage of the Bill of Rights adding the first ten amendments) contains several important protections of individual rights, including a right to a jury trial and a prohibition on any bill of attainder, which was a practice in England whereby the legislature would punish an individual by naming him in legislation.  Under the Constitution, only courts can punish individual citizens.

Every state except Rhode Island held a ratifying convention to consider adopting it.  Many small states ratified the Constitution quickly (the first state to ratify it was Delaware), because they liked the idea of having equal representation in the Senate.  But bigger states, such as [[Virginia]] and [[New York]], were more reluctant to give up their power to a national government.

Every state except Rhode Island held a ratifying convention to consider adopting it.  Many small states ratified the Constitution quickly (the first state to ratify it was Delaware), because they liked the idea of having equal representation in the Senate.  But bigger states, such as [[Virginia]] and [[New York]], were more reluctant to give up their power to a national government.

The debate over ratification in the large states pitted the Federalists (for example, Alexander Hamilton) against the Anti-Federalists (for example, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams and John Hancock).  Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution.  The Anti-Federalists opposed it, primarily because it lacked a bill of rights.

The debate over ratification in the large states pitted the Federalists (for example, Alexander Hamilton) against the Anti-Federalists (for example, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams and John Hancock).  Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution.  The Anti-Federalists opposed it, primarily because it lacked the Bill of Rights.

Massachusetts ratified the Constitution only after the Anti-Federalists Samuel Adams and John Hancock negotiated a compromise (the "Massachusetts Compromise") guaranteeing that the new Congress would immediately consider amendments to establish a Bill of Rights.  Subsequently nearly all the ratifications by other states also demanded amendments as part of their ratifications.

Massachusetts became the sixth state to ratify the Constitution, but did so only after the Anti-Federalists Samuel Adams and John Hancock negotiated a compromise (the "Massachusetts Compromise") guaranteeing that the new Congress would immediately consider amendments to establish a Bill of Rights.  Subsequently nearly all the ratifications by other states also demanded amendments as part of their ratifications.

To persuade New Yorkers to ratify the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay anonymously wrote the Federalist papers, which were a series of editorials that ran in a prominent New York newspaper.  The most famous of these is Madison's Federalist No. 10: "Among the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction."  Madison's insight was that a new United States of America, with its large size and separation of powers, could protect freedom against the tyranny of a small group better than individual colonies could.  The Federalist papers set forth the arguments -- like a debater's handbook -- to be used by supporters of the Constitution to obtain ratification in Virginia and New York, and the many other states that had not yet ratified.  Later, the Federalist papers became a reference source for courts in interpreting what the Constitution means.

To persuade New Yorkers to ratify the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay anonymously wrote the Federalist papers, which were a series of editorials that ran in a prominent New York newspaper.  The most famous of these is Madison's Federalist No. 10: "Among the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction."  Madison's insight was that a new United States of America, with its large size and separation of powers, could protect freedom against the tyranny of a small group better than individual colonies could.  The Federalist papers set forth the arguments -- like a debater's handbook -- to be used by supporters of the Constitution to obtain ratification in Virginia and New York, and the many other states that had not yet ratified.  Later, the Federalist papers became a reference source for courts in interpreting what the Constitution means.