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N0KFQ > TODAY 04.03.15 18:01l 54 Lines 2396 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 49025_N0KFQ
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Mar 4
Path: IZ3LSV<IW8PGT<I3XTY<I0OJJ<N6RME<N0KFQ
Sent: 150304/1600Z 49025@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.63
1789
Government under the U.S. Constitution begins
The first session of the U.S. Congress is held in New York City
as the U.S. Constitution takes effect. However, of the 22
senators and 59 representatives called to represent the 11 states
who had ratified the document, only nine senators and 13
representatives showed up to begin negotiations for its
amendment.
In 1786, defects in the Articles of Confederation became
apparent, such as the lack of central authority over foreign and
domestic commerce and the inability of Congress to levy taxes,
leading Congress to endorse a plan to draft a new constitution.
On September 17, 1787, at the conclusion of the Constitutional
Convention in Philadelphia, the new U.S. Constitution, creating a
strong federal government with an intricate system of checks and
balances, was signed by 38 of 41 delegates to the convention.
As dictated by Article VII, the document would not become binding
until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. The Constitution
was thus sent to the state legislatures, and beginning on
December 7, five states-Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Georgia, and Connecticut-ratified it in quick succession.
However, other states, especially Massachusetts, opposed the
document for its failure to reserve powers not delegated by the
Constitution to the states and its lack of constitutional
protection for such basic political rights as freedom of speech,
religion, and the press, and the right to bear arms.
In February 1788, a compromise was reached in which Massachusetts
and other states agreed to ratify the document with the assurance
that amendments would immediately be adopted. The Constitution
was thus narrowly ratified in Massachusetts, followed by Maryland
and South Carolina. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the
ninth state to ratify the document, making it binding, and
government under the U.S. Constitution was scheduled to begin on
March 4, 1789.
On September 25, 1789, after several months of debate, the first
Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the U.S.
Constitution-the Bill of Rights-and sent them to the states for
ratification. This action led to the eventual ratification of the
Constitution by the last of the 13 original colonies: North
Carolina and Rhode Island.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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