Who Were We the People?

[Keith Broaders]

Who Were We the People?

Less than 2% of the people that lived in the 13 former British colonies were permitted to vote the ratification of the Constitution. Only a few of the richest white men that owned a suffucuent amount of property were able to give their consent.to ratify the Constitution.

In the first U.S. presidential election held on January 7, 1789 (following the 1788 authorization), approximately 6,700 to 7,400 men actually voted for electors pledged to George Washington in Pennsylvania.  ou of a total of less than 2% of the states population of 434,000.. participated in the election of George Washington in 1788. 

On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania becomes the second state to ratify the Constitution, by a vote of 46 to 23. Pennsylvania was the first large state to ratify, as well as the first state to endure a serious Anti-Federalist challenge to ratification.

December 7, 1787: Delaware ratifies. Vote: 30 for, 0 against.    

December 12, 1787: Pennsylvania ratifies. Vote: 46 for, 23 against.

December 18, 1787: New Jersey ratifies. Vote: 38 for, 0 against. 137

January 2, 1788: Georgia ratifies. Vote: 26 for, 0 against.          163

January 9, 1788: Connecticut ratifies. Vote: 128 for, 40 against.   291

February 6, 1788: Massachusetts ratifies. Vote: 187 for, 168 against.   478

March 24, 1788: Rhode Island popular referendum rejects. Vote: 237 for, 2708 against.    715

April 28, 1788: Maryland ratifies. Vote: 63 for, 11 against.    778

May 23, 1788: South Carolina ratifies. Vote: 149 for, 73 against.   927

June 21, 1788: New Hampshire ratifies. Vote: 57 for, 47 against. Minimum requirement for ratification met.

June 25, 1788: Virginia ratifies. Vote: 89 for, 79 against.

July 26, 1788: New York ratifies. Vote: 30 for, 27 against.    1103

August 2, 1788: North Carolina convention adjourns without ratifying by a vote of 185 in favor of adjournment, 84 opposed.

November 21, 1789: North Carolina ratifies. Vote: 194 for, 77 against.

May 29, 1790: Rhode Island ratifies. Vote: 34 for, 32 against.

Only 1,827 delegates chosen to represent their states  to vote on the ratification and just 1,265 people out of a population of nearly 4 million people  were given the opportunity to give their consent.

The total of delegates that gave their consent represented less than 1/10th of 1% of the total population.