Rhode Island Ratification of the Constitution

Background. Rhode Island citizens favored a weaker central government, leading them to boycott the 1787 convention that drafted the United States Constitution. The state initially refused to ratify the document. Ratification ultimately came only under threat of heavy trade tariffs from the other former colonies and after assurances that a Bill of Rights would become part of the Constitution.

Ratification. Rhode Island ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, becoming the last of the original thirteen states to do so. This decision followed threats of heavy trade tariffs from other former colonies. Additionally, the state ratified only after assurances were made that a Bill of Rights would become part of the Constitution.

Legal Context. The Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation on March 4, 1789. The Bill of Rights, consisting of ten amendments, was added in 1791, fulfilling promises made to critics during the 1788 debates. The Tenth Amendment, included in this Bill, further defined the balance of power between the federal government and the states.