Art. VII. Ratification and Establishment

The Constitution was submitted by resolution of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787. It became effective on March 4, 1789, the day fixed for commencement of the operation of the government, by virtue of its ratification by the conventions of 11 states, as follows: Delaware, December 7, 1787; Pennsylvania, December 12, 1787; New Jersey, December 18, 1787; Georgia, January 2, 1788; Connecticut, January 9, 1788; Massachusetts, February 6, 1788; Maryland, April 28, 1788; South Carolina, May 23, 1788; New Hampshire, June 21, 1788; Virginia, June 26, 1788; and New York, July 26, 1788. The conventions of North Carolina and Rhode Island subsequently ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789, and May 29, 1790, respectively. The first ten amendments were all proposed by Congress on September 25, 1789, and subsequently declared ratified by the constitutionally required number of states on December 15, 1791. The later amendments were proposed and declared ratified on the following dates: Amendment 11, proposed March 4, 1794 and ratified January 8, 1798; Amendment 12, proposed December 12, 1803 and ratified September 25, 1804; Amendment 13, proposed February 1, 1865 and ratified December 18, 1865; Amendment 14, proposed June 16, 1866 and ratified July 28, 1868; Amendment 15, proposed February 27, 1869 and ratified March 30, 1870; Amendment 16, proposed July 12, 1909 and ratified February 25, 1913; Amendment 17, proposed May 16, 1912 and ratified May 13, 1913; Amendment 18, proposed December 17, 1917 and ratified January 29, 1919; Amendment 19, proposed June 5, 1919 and ratified August 26, 1920; Amendment 20, proposed March 2, 1932 and ratified February 6, 1933; Amendment 21, proposed February 20, 1933 and ratified December 5, 1933; Amendment 22, proposed March 24, 1947 and ratified March 1, 1951; Amendment 23, proposed June 16, 1960 and ratified April 3, 1961; Amendment 24, proposed August 27, 1962 and ratified February 4, 1964; Amendment 25, proposed July 6, 1965 and ratified February 23, 1967; and Amendment 26, proposed March 23, 1971, and ratified July 5, 1971.

Bill of Rights Day, § 1-4-13; America’s founding principles, § 20-2-142.1; Celebrate Freedom Week, § 20-2-1020; display of historically significant documents, § 20-2-1021; public displays of the Foundations of American Law and Government, § 20-3-41.3.

For note, “ERA: The Effect of Extending the Time for Ratification on Attempts to Rescind Prior Ratifications,” see 28 Emory L.J. 71 (1979).

C.J.S.

16 C.J.S., Constitutional Law, § 14.