What was the major issue with getting the Constitution ratified?
Asked by: Prof. Doug Beatty | Last update: December 9, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (9 votes)
The Anti-Federalists fought hard against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown, and it lacked a bill of rights. The ratification campaign was a nail-biter.
What was the problem with ratifying the Constitution?
Anti-Federalists argued that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government, while taking too much power away from state and local governments. Many felt that the federal government would be too far removed to represent the average citizen.
What was a major obstacle to the ratification of the Constitution?
The most significant obstacle that the Founding Fathers faced when trying to ratify the Constitution was the lack of a Bill of Rights. Many opponents, especially in key states like New York and Virginia, were concerned that the new federal government would infringe upon individual liberties.
What was the biggest obstacle in getting the Constitution ratified?
The greatest challenge is persuading the Anti-Federalists to support the Constitution's ratification. A bill of rights was the primary demand of the anti-federalists, but it wasn't granted until much later.
What was a major concern during the ratification process?
The Supremacy Clause generated significant controversy during debates over the Constitution's ratification. Anti-Federalist opponents of the Constitution argued that the Clause would make the national government overly powerful and infringe on state sovereignty.
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What was the biggest obstacle to ratifying the Constitution?
what would be the biggest obstacle to ratifying the new constitution, if they were bound by the amendment rules of the articles of confederation? Unanimous consent of the state legislatures was needed.
What was a major objection to the Constitution during the ratification process?
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution because they feared that the new national government would be too powerful and thus threaten individual liberties, given the absence of a bill of rights.
Why was the Constitution difficult to ratify?
The United States Constitution was written "to endure for ages to come" Chief Justice John Marshall wrote in the early 1800s. To ensure it would last, the framers made amending the document a difficult task.
What was the greatest barrier to ratifying the Constitution?
Final answer: The primary barrier to ratifying the Constitution was the lack of a formal Bill of Rights. Several large states and Anti-Federalists felt it threatened individual rights and liberties. Ratification ultimately occurred after promises were made to add a Bill of Rights.
What was the 1 big sticking point about getting the Constitution ratified?
The greatest sticking point when it came to ratification, as it had been at the Constitutional Convention itself, was the relative power of the state and federal governments.
What were the 3 major issues at the Constitution?
Debates erupted over representation in Congress, over slavery, and over the new executive branch.
What was the issue that became the major obstacle to agreement and ratification of the Constitution?
The absence of a "bill of rights" turned out to be an obstacle to the Constitution's ratification by the states. It would take four more years of intense debate before the new government's form would be resolved. The Federalists opposed including a bill of rights on the ground that it was unnecessary.
What was a major factor leading to the ratification of the Constitution?
Important takeaways
To get the Constitution ratified by all 13 states, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention had to reach several compromises. The three major compromises were the Great Compromise, the Three-Fifths Compromise, and the Electoral College.
What would happen if the Constitution was not ratified?
If a ninth colony did not ratify the Constitution, it would die before it had the chance to go into effect. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire ensured the success of the Constitution, becoming the ninth state to ratify it.
What were the problems with the Constitution of 1787?
It is no secret that the Constitution signed on that fateful day of September 17, 1787 was highly flawed. It denied women and minorities, especially black individuals, their basic human rights for decades to come. It protected slavery. It denied civil liberties that should have been guaranteed to all.
Why did the Constitution get ratified?
They firmly believed that this ratification process would demonstrate that the new constitution would be established by the will of the people rather than by a few political elites in state legislatures.
What were the 2 main problems with ratifying the Constitution?
Several arguments were voiced repeatedly during the ratification debates: That the Convention had exceeded its authority in producing a new Constitution; That the Constitution established the basis for a monarchical regime; That the Constitution lacked explicit protections for individual and states rights.
Which of the following was a major obstacle to the ratification of the Constitution?
One main obstacle to the ratification of the Constitution was the number of representatives each state would have in Congress. For the Constitution to be the law, it had to be ratified by the President.
What were some of the major points of disagreement during the ratification of the Constitution?
A central issue at the Convention was whether the federal government or the states would have more power. Many delegates believed that the federal government should be able to overrule state laws, but others feared that a strong federal government would oppress their citizens.
What was the biggest complaint or barrier to ratifying the Constitution?
Which complaint was the greatest barrier to ratifying the Constitution? The complaint that was a greater barrier to ratify the constitution was that it didn't have a Bill of Rights.
Why were some states representatives hesitant to ratify the Constitution?
Final answer: States were hesitant to ratify the Constitution due to concerns over the potential for excessive federal power. The First Amendment protects free speech, press, and assembly, while the Eighth protects against excessive bail and cruel punishment. Privacy is not a right included in the Fifth Amendment.
How difficult was the fight for ratification?
Five months of debate, compromise, and creative strategies produced a new constitution creating a federal republic with a strong central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. Ten months of public and private debate were required to secure ratification by the minimum nine states.
What was the main objection to the Constitution?
1. There is no Declaration of Rights, and the laws of the general government being paramount to the laws and constitution of the several States, the Declarations of Rights in the separate States are no security. Nor are the people secured even in the enjoyment of the benefit of the common law. 2.
Why was ratification of the Constitution not a foregone conclusion?
In conclusion, the ratification of the Constitution was not a foregone conclusion due to opposition from Anti-Federalists, concerns about a strong central government, disagreements over representation, lack of consensus, and limited public awareness.
What were the major issues reached at the Constitutional Convention?
The major debates were over representation in Congress, the powers of the president, how to elect the president (Electoral College), slave trade, and a bill of rights.