Name
Class
Date
Geography and History
Forming a Government
Ratifying the Constitution
After the Constitution was drafted, the document was sent to the states
for ratification. This event sparked a furious debate between Federalists,
people who favored ratifying the Constitution, and Antifederalists,
people who opposed ratifying the Constitution. The map below shows
areas with populations favoring and opposing the Constitution. It also
shows the date each state ratified the document. Study the map. Then
complete the activity and answer the questions on the next page.
Ratification of the Federal Constitution, 1787–1790
CANADA
Great Lakes
MAINE DISTRICT
(claimed by MA)
Atlantic
Ocean
NEW HAMPSHIRE
June 21, 1788
NEW YORK
July 26, 1788
MASSACHUSETTS
February 6, 1788
RHODE ISLAND
May 29, 1790
CONNECTICUT
January 9, 1788
NEW JERSEY
December 18, 1787
DELAWARE
December 7, 1787
MARYLAND
April 28, 1788
VIRGINIA
June 25, 1788
Philadelphia
PENNSYLVANIA
December 12, 1787
KENTUCKY DISTRICT
(claimed by VA)
NORTH CAROLINA
November 21, 1789
TENNESSEE
DISTRICT
(claimed by NC)
LEGEND:
SOUTH CAROLINA
May 23, 1788
GEORGIA
January 2, 1788
Federalist majority
Antifederalist majority
Evenly divided
Scale: 1 inch = 251 miles (approx.)
Adapted from map “Ratification of the Federal Constitution” from American History Atlas, by Martin Gilbert.
Copyright © 1968 by Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Rerinted by permission of Routledge.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
23
Forming a Government
Name
Class
Date
History and Geography
Ratifying the Constitution, continued
MAP ACTIVITY
1. Write the number 1 on the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
2. Circle the name of the last state to ratify the Constitution.
3. Use a dark color to trace the three states that had an Antifederalist majority.
4. Write the letter D in the three districts claimed by states at the time.
ANALYZING MAPS
1. Movement If you lived in Philadelphia in the late 1780s, what is the fewest num-
ber of miles you would have to travel to enter an area that opposed ratifying the
Constitution?
2. Place Which states had areas evenly divided between people favoring and oppos-
ing ratification of the Constitution?
3. Analyze Why do you think some areas are shown as having neither a majority
nor an evenly divided population?
4. Compare and Contrast Compare the locations of Federalist and Antifederalist
majorities in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. How are
the locations of these populations similar? What do you think caused this pattern?
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Imagine that you are a citizen of the United States in September 1787.
Create a poster for or against ratification of the Constitution. Make sure
your poster includes the reasons for your opinion.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
24
Forming a Government
Answer Key
Forming a Government
Ratifying the Constitution
Focus on Writing
MAP ACTIVITY ANSWERS
Students’ editorials will vary.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1: Delaware, December 7, 1787
Circle Rhode Island, May 29, 1790
North Carolina, Virginia, and New York
D in Kentucky District, Tennessee District
and Maine District
Chapter Review
REVIEWING VOCABULARY, TERMS,
AND PEOPLE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
ANALYZING MAPS ANSWERS
1. Movement About 94 miles
2. Place South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland,
Pennsylvania, New Hampshire
3. Analyze These areas may not have been
inhabited
4. Compare and Contrast These areas are
primarily coastal. Those engaged in commerce (lawyers, merchants, craftspeople,
poor workers) would have lived in big
cities there and would have seen the
Constitution as a good balance of power
with a strong central government.
tariff
Federalists
Depression
executive
debtors
Daniel Shays
Constitution
ratification
COMPREHENSION AND CRITICAL
THINKING
1. Northwest Ordinance of 1787
2. legislature
3. amendments
EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Students’ answers will vary.
Social Studies Skills
LEARN, PRACTICE, OR APPLY THE
SKILL
Students’ answers will vary but should show
understanding of the topic.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
33
Forming a Government