Ratify

Definition

Ratify means to formally approve or accept something, usually through a vote or official process. In the context of the Constitution, ratification refers to the process by which the states officially approved and adopted the Constitution as their governing document.

Related terms

Federalist Papers: A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to persuade people to support ratification of the Constitution.

Anti-Federalists: Opponents of the Constitution who believed it gave too much power to the central government and lacked protections for individual liberties.

Constitutional Convention: The meeting held in Philadelphia in 1787 where delegates from each state gathered to draft a new constitution for the United States.