Article VII required ratification by nine of the 13 original states to establish the Constitution. This broke from the Articles of Confederation, which demanded unanimous state consent for any changes. The Framers called for special state ratifying conventions rather than state legislatures, believing conventions better represented the people's will.
Delaware ratified first on December 7, 1787, followed quickly by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, officially enacting the new government. Virginia and New York ratified shortly after, crucial for the new nation's credibility. North Carolina held out until November 1789, after Congress adopted the Bill of Rights. Rhode Island was last, ratifying by a narrow vote on May 29, 1790. The process took nearly three years and featured intense public debate in newspapers, pamphlets, and convention halls.