On September 17, 1787, the US Constitution was signed but was not yet binding until nine of the thirteen states signed on to it.

James Madison is the father of the Constitution and became the fourth US president.

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, as it failed to reserve un-delegated powers to the states and lacked constitutional protection of basic political rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. In February 1788, a compromise was reached under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed.

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, and it was subsequently agreed that government under the U.S. Constitution would begin on March 4, 1789. In June, Virginia ratified the Constitution, followed by New York in July.

Here's how frakking stupid Republicans in Congress today are. Rep. Steve Scalise, now the House Majority Leader thought Thomas Jefferson wrote it and spoke at length on the topic.

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