June 21, 1788 ~ U.S. Constitution Ratified

Today in 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, thereby making the document the law of the land.

By 1786, defects in the Articles of Confederation were apparent and a Constitutional Convention convened at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to address the challenges.

After three months of debate a new constitution, with a strong federal government and an intricate system of checks and balances, was signed.

Under Article VII, the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut ratified it in quick succession.

Several states. Including New Hampshire opposed the document as it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states.

DEBATE WAS FIERCE, but A compromise was reached under which New Hampshire and other states agreed to ratify the document if what would become the Bill of Rights was considered.

On June 21st , New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document and making it possible for the new government under the U.S. Constitution to begin.

On 29 May 1790, Rhode Island voted by two votes to ratify the document, and became the last of the original 13 colonies to join the the United States.