#7 — RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION

Q1:     By what procedure was the proposed Constitution to be ratified? How did it differ from the procedure for amending the Articles of Confederation?

Q2:     Why did many people oppose ratification of the Constitution? What were some of the arguments made by the Antifederalists (the opponents of the Constitution)? Why did many Antifederalists find the first seven words of the proposed Constitution especially objectionable?

process of ratification => agreeing to social contract => giving of consent

Article VII of Constitution (vs. amendment provision of the Articles of Confederation)

          state ratifying conventions (vs. state legislatures)

          9/13 (vs. 13/13) decision rule

          agenda control: implicit "closed rule"

Federalists vs. Antifederalists

          Federalist (and Anti-Federalist) Papers

          Bill of Rights (reversal of “closed rule” strategy)

            1.      Del.

2.Penn.

3.N.J.

4.Conn.

5.Georgia

             6.     Mass. [Bill of Rights promised] 

7.Md.

8.S.C.

9.N.H.<<< (9/13 ratified)

          10.     Virginia

          11.     N.Y.

          ═══════════

          12.     N.C.

          13.     R.I.