MAKING OF A NEW NATION 1776 1800
CREATING STATE CONSTITUTIONS AFTER THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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Alexander Hamilton
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George Mason
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Patrick Henry
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None of the above
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Detailed explanation-1: -Congress must call a convention for proposing amendments upon application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states (i.e., 34 of 50 states). Amendments proposed by Congress or convention become valid only when ratified by the legislatures of, or conventions in, three-fourths of the states (i.e., 38 of 50 states).
Detailed explanation-2: -Article V sets out two methods for the proposal and two methods for the ratification of constitutional amendments, creating four possible methods of formal amendment.
Detailed explanation-3: -The document was practically impossible to amend. The Articles required unanimous consent to any amendment, so all 13 states would need to agree on a change. Given the rivalries between the states, that rule made the Articles impossible to adapt after the war ended with Britain in 1783.
Detailed explanation-4: -To ensure ratification of the document, the Federalists offered concessions, and the First Congress proposed a Bill of Rights as protection for those fearful of a strong national government. The Bill of Rights came into effect in December 1791, after ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures.