Article Seven of the United States Constitution

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Article Seven of the United States Constitution is the final article of the United States Constitution. It establishes the procedure that was required for the original thirteen states to ratify it. Ratification is the official way to confirm something, usually by vote. It is the step in which the Constitution becomes effective.

Text of Article Seven

The text of Article Seven states: "The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same."

This means that once nine out of the thirteen states ratified (or approved) the Constitution through their conventions, it would become effective among those states.

Ratification Process

The Constitutional Convention of 1787, which drafted the Constitution, proposed a departure from the ratification process used under the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first governing document. Under the Articles, amendments required the approval of all thirteen state legislatures. However, the framers of the Constitution sought a more feasible ratification process, leading to the decision that only nine states needed to ratify the Constitution for it to become effective.

This decision was controversial at the time, as it bypassed the unanimous consent previously required under the Articles of Confederation. Critics argued that this method undermined the existing legal framework. However, proponents believed it was necessary to ensure the viability of the new government.

Ratification

The ratification process began in December 1787, with Delaware becoming the first state to ratify the Constitution. The process continued until New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify in June 1788, thereby officially establishing the Constitution. The remaining four states ratified the document in the following years, with Rhode Island being the last in May 1790.

Significance

Article Seven played a crucial role in the establishment of the United States government as it is known today. By setting a practical path for ratification, it facilitated the transition from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution. This transition marked the beginning of a new era of federal government, with a stronger central authority than had previously existed under the Articles of Confederation.

Legacy

The ratification process outlined in Article Seven demonstrated the framers' commitment to creating a more effective and cohesive federal government. It also highlighted the challenges of balancing state and federal powers, a theme that would continue to shape American politics. The successful ratification of the Constitution set a precedent for future amendments and the evolving nature of the U.S. legal and political system.

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