Changes

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.

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 actually guard against tyranny and evil factions 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 judges to use in interpreting what the Constitution means.

When the ninth state ([[New Hampshire]]) ratified the new Constitution on June 21, 1788, the Constitution became law of the land.  Shortly afterward, New York and Virginia also ratified it.

When the ninth state ([[New Hampshire]]) ratified the new Constitution on June 21, 1788, the Constitution became law of the land.  Shortly afterward, the large states of New York and Virginia also ratified it.

The final two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island, still opposed the Constitution and did not ratify it until George Washington began serving as president.  North Carolina ratified it in 1789.  Rhode Island, wanting to hold onto its power to tax imports which the Constitution would take away from it, did not ratify it until the other 12 states threatened to boycott it otherwise.  Rhode Island ratified it in 1790.

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

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.

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.