How many of the 13 states are needed to pass laws?

Asked by: Mr. Wyman Goyette  |  Last update: April 3, 2026
Score: 4.3/5 (3 votes)

To pass laws under the Articles of Confederation, the first U.S. government, 9 out of 13 states were needed for major legislation, but amendments required all 13 states, making it very difficult to function. When the U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles, it only needed 9 of the 13 states to ratify it for it to become the new framework of government, which happened in 1788.

How many of the 13 states were needed to approve a Law?

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.

How many of the 13 states were required to agree in order for something to pass?

The Founding Fathers now had to get the states to agree to the document and to vote in favor of it. Nine states needed to vote for the Constitution for it to be accepted.

How many of the 13 states needed to vote for a Law for it to pass under the Articles of Confederation?

Congress needed 9 of 13 states to pass any laws. Requiring this high supermajority made it very difficult to pass any legislation that would affect all 13 states.

How many states needed to approve a new Law for it to pass?

Congress must call a convention for proposing amendments upon application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states (i.e., 34 of 50 states). Amendments proposed by Congress or convention become valid only when ratified by the legislatures of, or conventions in, three-fourths of the states (i.e., 38 of 50 states).

Why is the US Constitution so hard to amend? - Peter Paccone

33 related questions found

How many states have to approve a new state?

The 11th Article authorized Congress to admit new states to the Union provided nine states consented.

Did Congress need 9 of 13 states to pass any laws?

Not only did all amendments have to be ratified by each of the thirteen states, but all important legislation needed the approval of nine states. With several delegations often absent, one or two states were able to defeat legislative proposals of major importance.

How many of the 13 states needed to approve a law before it could be passed under the Articles of Confederation brainly?

Answer. Under the Articles of Confederation, nine of the thirteen states needed to approve a law before it could be passed.

How many states were needed to pass the 13th amendment?

On December 6, 1865, the required twenty-seven out of the total thirty-three states ratified the amendment. Twelve days later, the new Thirteenth Amendment was officially certified and accepted into the Constitution.

What does "ratified" mean?

To ratify means to approve or enact a legally binding act that would not otherwise be binding in the absence of such approval. In the constitutional context, nations may ratify an amendment to an existing or adoption of a new constitution.

How many votes are required to pass a law?

Most bills require a majority vote (it must pass by 21 votes in the Senate and 41 votes in the Assembly), while urgency measures and appropriation bills require a two-thirds vote (27 in the Senate, 54 in the Assembly).

What were the original 13 states of the United States?

The 13 original states were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The 13 original states were the first 13 British colonies.

How long did it take for all 13 states to ratify it?

Between December 7, 1787, and June 21, 1788, the required 9 of 13 states ratified the Constitution making it the official framework for the government of the United States of America. All 13 states eventually ratified the U.S. Constitution by May 29, 1790.

What is the 1st Amendment word for word?

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Why is Article 7 important?

The final article in the original Constitution, Article VII is also the shortest. It clearly states its purpose of defining the conditions necessary for operationalizing the new Constitution: ratification by nine states would be sufficient to put the document into effect among the states so ratifying.

Which state was first?

The first state was Delaware, which ratified the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787, making it the first of the original thirteen colonies to join the Union and earning its nickname, "The First State". Pennsylvania followed as the second state, ratifying just five days later on December 12, 1787.
 

Which president had 600 slaves?

Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. President and author of the Declaration of Independence, enslaved over 600 Black men, women, and children during his lifetime, the most of any U.S. president, working them at his Monticello estate and even in the White House. Despite his ideals of liberty, Jefferson's life was deeply intertwined with slavery, holding people at Monticello and other properties, with around 400 enslaved at Monticello at any given time. 

Which state forgot to abolish slavery?

The amendment was adopted in December 1865 after the necessary three-fourths of the then 36 states voted in favor of ratification. Mississippi, however, was a holdout; at the time state lawmakers were upset that they had not been compensated for the value of freed slaves.

What was the 13th state in America?

The 13th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and officially join the Union was Rhode Island, doing so on May 29, 1790, making it the last of the original thirteen colonies to adopt the Constitution, though it was the first to declare independence from Britain.
 

How many of the 13 states needed to approve a law before it could be passed?

Three months later, on September 17, 1787, the Convention concluded with the signing (by 38 out of 41 delegates present) of the new U.S. Constitution. Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 existing states.

How many states are needed to approve a new law?

The amendment becomes part of the Constitution when it has been ratified by three-fourths (currently 38) of the states. This process has been used for ratification of every amendment to the Constitution thus far. Article V also provides for an alternative process, which has never been utilized.

How many states must approve an amendment before it can be added to the Constitution brainly?

Three-fourths of the state legislatures must approve an amendment before it becomes part of the Constitution.

Were there 11 or 13 confederate states?

There were 11 states that officially seceded to form the Confederate States of America (CSA): South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina, though the Confederacy claimed 13 stars on its flags, including Missouri and Kentucky due to secessionist conventions, even though their governments remained loyal to the Union.
 

What was the US called before 1776?

Before 1776, the lands that became the United States were known as British America, consisting of the Thirteen Colonies, and were often collectively called the United Colonies, a name used by the Continental Congress before officially adopting the "United States of America" in September 1776. Native American cultures had their own names, like "Turtle Island," for the continent, while Europeans explored various territories, but "America" as a single entity was a European concept. 

What did the Constitution need from 9 of the 13 states before it could go into effect?

The founders set the terms for ratifying the Constitution. They bypassed the state legislatures, reasoning that their members would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Instead, they called for special ratifying conventions in each state. Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government.