Why did North Carolina delay ratifying the Constitution?
Asked by: Jaiden Streich | Last update: January 26, 2026Score: 4.9/5 (63 votes)
North Carolina delayed ratifying the Constitution primarily due to strong Anti-Federalist sentiment, fearing a powerful central government that threatened individual liberties, and demanding a Bill of Rights to protect freedoms before joining the new union. After the first convention in 1788 failed to ratify, the state waited until after the first Congress proposed the Bill of Rights amendments, finally ratifying in November 1789 once assurances for these protections were made.
Why did North Carolina not ratify the Constitution?
The debate resulted in the delegates voting 184 to 84 to neither ratify nor reject the Constitution, and North Carolina was not part of the Union until the 1789 Fayetteville Convention. One of the major reasons why North Carolina didn't ratify the Constitution was the lack of Bill of Rights.
Why did North Carolina and Rhode Island refuse to ratify the Constitution?
There were several reasons for Rhode Island's resistance including its concern that the Constitution gave too much power to the central government at the expense of the states. The Constitution would also have made the state's practice of printing paper money illegal.
Why did some states hesitate to ratify the Constitution?
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.
What two states refused to ratify the Constitution?
Two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island, refused to ratify the new plan of government. Those who opposed the adoption of the Constitution were known as the Antifederalists. Many feared centralized power. Many doubted the ability of Americans to sustain a continental republic.
Ratification History: North Carolina and Rhode Island Say No to the Constitution
Who was the last state to ratify the Constitution?
It was not until May 29, 1790, that the last state, Rhode Island, finally ratified the Constitution.
Which state did not vote to ratify the era?
Arizona, Utah, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina have not ratified the Equal Rights Amendment. Washington and Hawaii both ratified the amendment on March 22, 1972, immediately after Congress sent it to the states.
Which state had the biggest problems ratifying the Constitution?
Some states ratified quickly, with little debate. But some of the most powerful states including Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York, became battlegrounds between those who supported ratification of the Constitution, the Federalists, and those who opposed it, the Anti-Federalists.
What does article 7 mean in the Constitution?
Article VII of the U.S. Constitution establishes that only nine of the thirteen states needed to ratify it for the Constitution to become the law of the land, setting the number and method (state conventions) for its adoption, with New Hampshire becoming the crucial ninth state in June 1788, officially putting the new government into effect. It was a key compromise, ensuring a strong central government could form while respecting state power by requiring state conventions for approval, a process that successfully launched the United States government.
Did all 13 states have to approve the Constitution?
Yes, all 13 original states eventually ratified the U.S. Constitution, but not all at once; Delaware was the first in 1787, and Rhode Island was the very last to ratify on May 29, 1790, after the new government was already operating for over a year. The Constitution became official when the required nine states ratified it in 1788, but all states joined over the next couple of years.
Why was the NC Constitution of 1868 so controversial?
Objecting to black suffrage, the lack of property qualifications to vote for state senators, and the direct election of judges and many executive officers, they immediately launched a campaign to repeal or revise the document.
What happened to North Carolina's copy of the Bill of Rights?
This document has a dramatic story— it was stolen from the State Capitol by a Union soldier in 1865 and recovered in an FBI sting operation almost 150 years later!
What happened in 1789 in North Carolina?
On November 21, 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Yet initially, just over a year earlier, North Carolina refused to ratify the Constitution because it lacked amendments protecting individual rights and freedoms.
How many times has the North Carolina Constitution been rewritten?
Since 1776, North Carolina has adopted three constitutions and amended its constitutions 178 times (and 37 times since 1971).
Which state did not immediately ratify the new Constitution?
Virginia and New York ratified shortly after New Hampshire, followed by North Carolina in November 1789. Rhode Island was last to ratify, not joining the Union until May 1790. Congress Steps Aside for a New Government. On July 2, Congress announced that the Constitution had been adopted.
Why should we not ratify the Constitution?
Some thought a central government wouldn't care about local issues. Some said it would overwhelm the states and take away the people's rights. Some feared the government would be taken over by “the few and the great.” Some said the president would have too much power. Some said the slavery clauses were immoral.
Is God mentioned in the US Constitution?
No, the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly mention God, Jesus, or Christianity; its framework is secular, focusing on governmental structure, though it mentions "religion" in the First Amendment to protect religious freedom and prohibit an established religion. The only divine reference is in the signing date, "in the Year of our Lord," a common phrase of the era, not a theological statement, notes TCU Magazine.
Who opposed Article 7 and why?
Anti-Federalists pointed out that Article VII was inconsistent with Article XIII of the Articles of Confederation, which required that changes in constitutional arrangements be “agreed to in a Congress of the United States, and be afterwards confirmed by the legislatures of every State.” Article VII required agreement ...
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 did North Carolina reject the Constitution?
One of the major reasons for North Carolina not ratifying the Constitution was its lack of a Bill of Rights. The delegates, however, proposed a series of amendments to personal liberties and urged the new federal Congress to adopt measures to incorporate a bill of rights into the Constitution.
Which three states did not ratify the ERA?
The 15 states that did not ratify the Equal Rights Amendment before the 1982 deadline were Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.
When did the U.S. go from 48 to 50 states?
The U.S. went from 48 to 50 states in 1959, with Alaska becoming the 49th state on January 3, 1959, and Hawaii becoming the 50th state on August 21, 1959, making them the last two states admitted to the Union. Before 1959, the contiguous 48 states were completed with the admission of New Mexico (47th) in 1912 and Arizona (48th) in 1912.
What was passed by Congress but never ratified by the states?
And then there is the Corwin Amendment, which has its own unique history as one of the failed amendments actually approved by Congress and not ratified by three-fourths of all of the states.
What was the first state in the United States of America?
The first state in the United States was Delaware, which ratified the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787, becoming the first of the original thirteen colonies to join the Union and earning the nickname "The First State".
What states did not ratify women's right to vote?
Much of the opposition to the amendment came from Southern Democrats; only two former Confederate states (Texas and Arkansas) and three border states voted for ratification, with Kentucky and West Virginia not doing so until 1920. Alabama and Georgia were the first states to defeat ratification.