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The Road to Ratification

In The Road to Ratification, the Constitution has been written and nine out of 13 states need to ratify it for it to become the official “law of the land” for the United States. As the process begins, two groups, the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, argue for and against ratification. In the end, the Anti-Federalist idea of a Bill of Rights is added to the Constitution and the U.S. becomes a country in June 1788 when New Hampshire is the ninth state to ratify.

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Location:
United Stated
Grades:
Program:
BBC Learning Original Productions
Time:
2:22
Topic:

Lesson Express

Q: How many states needed to ratify the Constitution? Why do you think the delegates decided this?
A: Nine out of 13 states needed to ratify it. Student responses will vary. Students may mention that this meant that one state could not “take down” the entire Constitution.

Q: When it came to ratifying the Constitution, what did the Federalists want? What did the Anti-Federalists want?
A: The Federalists wanted to ratify the Constitution as is; the Anti-Federalists wanted to add a Bill of Rights before ratifying.

Q: Review a map of the United States in 1788. What states were included? Which ratified the Constitution? Did any not ratify it?
A: Students review a map; students will learn that all 13 colonies except Rhode Island ratified the Constitution. Rhode Island ratified it in 1790.

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