The Missing Years of the United States: How It Took 11 Years to Ratify the Constitution
In 1776, the United States of America declared independence from British rule and began fighting for the creation of the nation you know today. Though the Revolutionary War did not end until 1783, the constitution of the United States was not ratified until 1788, and George Washington did not become the first president until 1789. So, what happened in between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States?
The Revolutionary War
It can be claimed that the American Revolution and the following War for Independence was the result of the ______1_____, the 17th century intellectual movement that sparked new ideas about humanity, science, government, human rights, and reason infused with a sense of liberal nationalism. Colonial resistance led to violence in 1770, when British soldiers opened fire on a mob of colonists in what was known as the Boston Massacre. In retaliation, Bostonians boarded British ships and dumped _____2_____ chests of tea into Boston Harbor in 1773, now known as the Boston Tea Party. By June of 1776, the Revolutionary War was in full swing with the majority of colonists in favor of American independence.
Articles of Confederation
While military matters take place on the battlefield, the 2nd Continental Congress essentially became the default _____3_____-government. Before the Constitution was implemented, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, a document that was tailored to the newly formed nation. However, it allowed states to act more like independent, sovereign countries, and it quickly became clear to some of America’s leaders that future stability required a stronger, more _____4_____ government.
_____5_____ then called for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation’s governing document. The Confederation Congress supported his initiative, and representatives from all 13 states were invited to convene in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, to participate in the Convention.
Approval of 13 States
The Constitution became the official framework of the U.S. government on June 21st, 1788 when _____6_____ became the ninth of thirteen states to ratify it. This makes it seem as if it were easy to implement the constitution, but the journey to have all thirteen states agree was a long and arduous process.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was _____7_____ on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. Some states voiced opposition to the Constitution on the grounds that it did not provide protection for rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and press. However, the terms of the Massachusetts Compromise in February 1788 specified that amendments would be immediately proposed, what is now the _____8_____. The constitution was subsequently ratified by Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and, finally, New Hampshire.
Problems and Changes Still Today
Neither Declaration of Independence nor the Constitution condemned or attempted to halt the business of _____9_____, despite the preamble to the Declaration of Independence stating that “all men are created equal.” Though some believe Jefferson meant that phrase to mean all humanity is created equal and, according to Constitution Facts, “Jefferson had originally included language condemning the British promotion of the slave trade,” that was later edited out. Jefferson himself was a slave owner.
Meanwhile, the Constitution permitted for each slave to amount to _____10_____ of a person in determining representation in Congress and taxation in what became known as the “_____10_____ Compromise.” Smaller, southern slave-owning states were wary of larger states having too much power in the House of Representatives and argued that slaves should count in some way toward their population counts.
At the time the Declaration of Independence was written, women were also not included in the “All men are created equal” statement, either. In addition to not consistently having the right to vote until the passage of the _____11_____ amendment to the Constitution in 1920, back in 1776, most women were essentially considered the “____12____” of their fathers or husbands.
Although our country has come a long way since its creation, our constitution was always meant to be a living document and to be adaptable to the needs of the future. While we can continue to create amendments, many people argue that it may be worth changing some of the langue in the original articles as well.
