230 Years Ago: US Constitution Ratified With NH Vote

NEW HAMPSHIRE — The Granite State on Thursday recognized the 230th anniversary of its signing of the Constitution, which ratified the document. On June 21, 1788, Hampshire became the ninth state and final one necessary to approve the Constitution.

Here's more from history.com:

"By 1786, defects in the post-Revolutionary War Articles of Confederation were apparent, such as the lack of central authority over foreign and domestic commerce. ... On September 17, 1787, after three months of debate moderated by convention president George Washington, the new U.S. constitution, which created a strong federal government with an intricate system of checks and balances, was signed ... the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states.

"Beginning on December 7, five states–Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut–ratified it in quick succession. However, other states, especially Massachusetts, opposed the document, as it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. In February 1788, a compromise was reached under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed. The Constitution was thus narrowly ratified in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland and South Carolina. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document, and it was subsequently agreed that government under the U.S. Constitution would begin on March 4, 1789."

US Constitution by Jason Claffey on Scribd

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