The Ratifying Conventions

Summary

The video script details the challenging process of ratifying the U.S. Constitution. To become official, nine out of thirteen states had to approve it. The Federalists, led by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, used various tactics, including political maneuvers and the influential Federalist Papers, to sway public opinion. These papers defended the Constitution and provided persuasive arguments during the ratification conventions. Hamilton's strategic waiting for Virginia's ratification and his dramatic threat of New York City seceding if the Constitution wasn't ratified, played crucial roles in the process. By June 1788, nine states had ratified the Constitution, and by 1790, all thirteen states had done so.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The Constitution required ratification from 9 out of 13 states to become official.
• 🤝 The Federalists, proponents of the Constitution, used various tactics to ensure its approval.
• 🚫 In Pennsylvania, the state legislature initially refused to call a ratifying convention.
• 🔐 Federalists physically brought men off the street to force a decision on the ratifying convention.
• 📜 Leading Federalists, including Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, authored the Federalist Papers to support the Constitution.
• 📰 The Federalist Papers served as a strong defense and explanation of the Constitution's importance.
• 🗣️ Hamilton was particularly influential in New York, using strategic delays and threats to sway votes.
• 🗽 New York's ratification was contingent on Virginia's, highlighting the interdependence of state decisions.
• 🗳️ Ratification was a complex political process, reflecting the political climate of the 18th century.
• ✅ By June 1788, nine states had ratified the Constitution, and eventually, all thirteen states did so by 1790.

Q & A

How many states needed to ratify the Constitution for it to become official?

9 out of 13 states needed to ratify the Constitution for it to become official.

What tactics did the Federalists use to ensure the ratification of the Constitution in Pennsylvania?

The Federalists in Pennsylvania used tactics such as grabbing men off the street and locking them in the legislature until they made a decision about the ratifying convention.

What was the rumor spread by the Federalists to persuade backcountry farmers to ratify the Constitution?

The rumor spread by the Federalists was that if the farmers did not ratify the Constitution, they would not be reimbursed for their expenses for attending the ratifying convention.

Who were the leading Federalists responsible for writing the Federalist Papers?

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay were the leading Federalists who wrote the Federalist Papers.

What was the purpose of the Federalist Papers?

The Federalist Papers were written to strongly defend and explain the importance of the Constitution.

How did the Federalist Papers serve as a tool during the conventions?

The Federalist Papers served as a reference during the conventions, providing talking points to answer objections raised against the Constitution.

What was Hamilton's strategy in New York to ensure the ratification of the Constitution?

Hamilton's strategy in New York was to stall and demand that they read the Constitution clause by clause, waiting to hear if Virginia had ratified.

What threat did Hamilton make to persuade New Yorkers to ratify the Constitution?

Hamilton threatened that if New York did not ratify the Constitution, New York City would secede from New York and form its own state.

What was the significance of the ratifying conventions in the study of 18th-century politics?

The ratifying conventions were significant in the study of 18th-century politics because they were models of politics during that era.

By what year did all thirteen states ratify the Constitution?

All thirteen states ratified the Constitution by 1790.