Massachusetts voted in early February. Delegates to the state convention wanted the Constitution amended to include guarantees to protect citizens' rights. They agreed to ratify if these guarantees were added later.
Maryland ratified the Constitution at the end of April. There, a number of delegates included a letter of protest with their vote. They said if the plan of government were not amended, the liberty and happiness of the people would be threatened.
At the end of May, South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify. Just one more state and the new Constitution would become the law of the land. All eyes turned to Virginia.
Virginia was the biggest of the 13 states. One-fifth of all the people in America lived in Virginia. The men who attended the ratifying convention were among the most famous names in the nation: James Madison, Patrick Henry, George Mason, James Monroe, Edmund Randolph and John Marshall.
The most famous Virginian, George Washington, stayed at his home, Mount Vernon. All during the month of June, however, riders brought him messages from the convention and carried messages back.
Thomas Jefferson was still in Paris, serving as America's representative to France. But others kept him informed of everything that happened at home. Jefferson wrote back that he liked most of the Constitution. But, he said, I do not like the fact that it does not contain a declaration of the rights of citizens.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25