--- title: U.S. Const. Art. VII. Ratification and Establishment collection: code id: us-const:art-vii cite_as: U.S. Const. Art. VII canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/art-vii md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/art-vii.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/art-vii/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/1us-const-(v1)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=328b75b8_0#page=180 date: 2025 status: active corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68 license: CC0-1.0 publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/index.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/art-vi.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/constitution/us/amend-i.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md version: the only printed version in_force: true heading_path: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION --- # U.S. Const. Art. VII. Ratification and Establishment A constitution provision shown as in force is in force as printed in the volume. A court decision can make a printed provision unenforceable without changing the volume, and the volume does not record that. The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same. DONE in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth IN WITNESS whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names, Go WASHINGTON—Presidt. and Deputy from Virginia. [Signed also by the deputies of twelve States.] JOHN LANGDON NICHOLAS GILMAN NATHANIEL GORHAM RUFUS KING WM. SAML. JOHNSON ROGER SHERMAN ALEXANDER HAMILTON WIL: LIVINGSTON WM. PATERSON DAVID BREARLEY JONA: DAYTON B FRANKLIN THOMAS MIFFLIN ROBT MORRIS GEO. CLYMER THOS. FITZSIMONS JARED INGERSOLL JAMES WILSON GOUV MORRIS GEO: READ GUNNING BEDFORD jun JOHN DICKINSON RICHARD BASSETT JACO: BROOM JAMES MCHENRY DAN of ST DANL CARROLL JOHN BLAIR JAMES MADISON JR. WM. BLOUNT RICHD. DOBBS SPAIGHT HU WILLIAMSON J RUTLEDGE CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY CHARLES PINCKNEY PIERCE BUTLER. WILLIAM FEW ABR BALDWIN Attest: WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary. ## Cross References 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. ## Editor's Notes 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. ## Law Reviews 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.