U.S. #835 commemorates the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution. At least nine of the 13 original states had to approve before it could be placed into effect. New Hampshire’s vote on June 21, 1788, secured the Constitution as America’s primary governing document.
Ratifying the Constitution
Following the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia that created the new nation’s Constitution, each state had to ratify (approve) it individually. The first nine states approved the Constitution by June 1788. Although all that was needed to approve the Constitution was nine states, four others argued that it provided too much power to the central government, which could easily abuse individual rights. They believed there should be a bill of rights to prevent such abuses.