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DBQ 3: Ratifying the Constitution Document Based Question: Ratification of the Constitution Name: Carolina Latimer Directions: There are two parts to this assignment: 8 questions and 1 essay. Read each excerpt and answer the corresponding questions in RED text. When you are finished, take what you have learned from this week’s assignments and the excerpts and write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Use evidence from the excerpts below and this week’s assignments to support your response to the essay question. Be sure to include relevant historical facts, examples, details, and additional related outside information. FYI: If you do not complete the essay, you will not receive full credit on this assignment. Part I Questions Background info: Today, over 200 years after it was written and ratified, most Americans think of the U.S. Constitution as something almost sacred. We assume that this great document has always been honored and revered. This is not true. When it was written in 1787 and submitted to the states for ratification, it set off months of fierce and often bitter debate. There were, of course, many who welcomed it as a stronger and more effective national government that could successfully tie the thirteen states together into a common nation. But others were fearful of this proposed powerful new national government. Only a few years earlier, they had fought a war against a too powerful, distant central government. Why should they now erect a new distant central government that could threaten their liberties just as King George and Parliament had? The debate went on in towns and villages across the country for months. Some of the smaller states ratified the new Constitution quickly, but in most states, the debate continued. In February of 1788, the Massachusetts convention voted 187 to 168 to ratify the Constitution. In June, Virginia ratified 89 to 79. New York followed almost immediately. Now, with the approval of eleven states, the new government was established. In April of 1789, George Washington was inaugurated president, even though two states still had not approved the Constitution. It took North Carolina until November 1789 and Rhode Island until May 1790 to join the new government. 1. What does the term “ratification” mean? The term ratification means to give consent for an agreement or some type of contract Document 1 This excerpt is from a newspaper, The Massachusetts Sentinel, October 20, 1787. (From Voices of America: Readings in American History, Thomas R. Frazier, ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1985, p. 61.) Let us look and behold the distresses which prevail in every part of our country ... the complaints of our farmers ... the complaints of every class public creditors ... the melancholy faces of our working people ... our ships rotting in our harbors ... the insults that are offered to the American name and character in every court of Europe .... View these things, fellow citizens, and then say that we do not require a new, a protecting, and efficient federal government if you can. 2. Why does the editor of this newspaper support ratifying the Constitution? Peñuelas’ U.S. History 1999-2006 Walch Publishing

DBQ 3: Ratifying the Constitution The editor of the newspaper supports ratifying the constitution because they list off reasons for why they don't need a new government also show facts for ratifying the constitution Document 2 This excerpt is from "Observations on the New Federal Constitution and on Federal and State Conventions," by Mercy Otis Warren. It originally appeared newspaper article in the spring of 1788. There is no security in the system [under the proposed new U'S. Constitution] either for the rights of conscience or the liberty of the press .... The executive and the legislature are so dangerously blended that they give just cause Alarm .... There is no provision for a rotation nor anything else to prevent political office from remaining in the same hands for life. 3. Why did Mercy Otis Warren oppose ratifying the Constitution? Mercy Otis Warren opposed ratifying the constitution because he doesn't like how the executive and legislature blend he says, "dangerously blended that they give just alarm .... " This is him talking about the legislative and executive and he doesn't like the "no security in the system” Document 3 These excerpts are from a letter written by George Washington to John Jay, dated August 1, 1786. In these lines, Washington is agreeing with Jay's criticism of the Articles of Confederation. Your sentiments, that our affairs are drawing rapidly to a crisis, accord with my own .... We have errors to correct. We have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation ... . . . thirteen sovereign, independent, disunited States are in the habit of ...refusing compliance with [our national Congress 1at their option. Would to God, that wise measures may be taken in time to avert the consequences we have but too much reason to apprehend .... 4. What did Washington mean by saying "we have errors to correct"? What Washington meant by "we have errors to correct" was. That they made many mistakes and he wants to fix them as much as he can, also he means everything is happening and they have to put a stop to it. 5. What do you suppose he meant by saying "we have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation"? What I suppose he meant by saying "we have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation" is that they thought humans were good and they mistaken that and let humans form the confederation even though humans can be bad Document 4 This excerpt is from a speech by Patrick Henry, a delegate to the Virginia State Constitutional Ratification Convention, given in June 1788. (From Jonathan Elliot, ed .. The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1836.) ... Here is a resolution as radical as that which separated us from Great Britain. It is radical in this transition; our rights and privileges are endangered, and the sovereignty of the states will be relinquished .... The rights of conscience, trial by jury, liberty of the press ... are rendered insecure. 6. Why did Patrick Henry oppose the Constitution? Patrick Henry opposed the constitution because he saw what we did to get free from great Britain and he does want his rights to be endangered and not to be relinquished Peñuelas’ U.S. History 1999-2006 Walch Publishing

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