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Article 7

Article 7

Introduction

Article 7 of the United States Constitution is a short but powerful section of the document that outlines the process by which the Constitution was to be ratified by the states.

This article played a critical role in the establishment of the federal government, paving the way for the creation of a strong and centralized government that continues to define the United States today.

At the time that the Constitution was written and ratified, there were concerns among the framers of the document that the new federal government would not be able to gain the support of the individual states, many of which saw themselves as independent entities.

Ratification

The ratification of the Constitution by all of the states was therefore a critical step in the creation of a unified nation. Article 7 of the Constitution established the rules for this ratification process, stating that the new Constitution would only take effect once it had been ratified by nine of the 13 states.

In this way, the framers of the Constitution provided a clear path for the establishment of the federal government and ensured that the Constitution would be able to take effect, regardless of the views of individual states.

The decision to require the ratification of only nine states was a strategic one. The framers of the Constitution recognized that if the document required unanimous support from all of the states, it would be impossible to establish the federal government. Instead, they chose a number that was high enough to ensure that the new government had the support it needed to function effectively, but low enough to be achievable.

The ratification process was not without controversy, however. The Federalists, who supported the new Constitution, engaged in a vigorous campaign to persuade the states to ratify the document.

The Anti-Federalists

Their opponents, the Anti-Federalists, argued that the Constitution would create an overly powerful federal government at the expense of state sovereignty. Ultimately, the Constitution was ratified by the required nine states, with Delaware becoming the first state to ratify on December 7, 1787. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, and New Hampshire followed suit, with Virginia and New York later joining.

North Carolina and Rhode Island were the last to ratify, in 1789 and 1790, respectively. The ratification of the Constitution had a profound impact on the United States, establishing a strong and centralized federal government that has endured for more than two centuries. Article 7 of the Constitution played a critical role in this process, providing a clear and achievable path for the establishment of the federal government and ensuring that the new Constitution would take effect, even in the face of opposition from individual states.

Importance

Today, Article 7 of the Constitution stands as a testament to the importance of compromise in the creation of a strong and effective government. It also highlights the ongoing struggle to balance individual rights and freedoms with the need for a strong and centralized government, a challenge that remains as relevant today as it was in 1787.

By studying and understanding Article 7, we can gain insights into the fundamental values and principles that underlie the American system of government and the ongoing debates and discussions that continue to shape the nation today. Article Seven of the U.S. Constitution may be one of the most simplistic of all the Constitutional Articles, but it nevertheless is weighted by a great deal of history.

To quote the Article exactly:

“The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same.”

In simplest terms, Article 7 laid out the basic number of states that were required to initially implement the U.S. Constitution, which was nine out of what was, at the time, thirteen states.

In truth, this Article has little lasting significance today, but at the time it represented the measure of support necessary for the fledgling United States of America to change its entire system of government. Before there was a Constitution, the United States was formulated under the terms of a document called the Articles of Confederation.