The Contest Over the Ratification of the Federal Constitution in the State of Massachusetts: (Harvard Historical Studies)

Discover how the Constitution was ratified in Massachusetts

Each of the original colonies considered and weighed the proposed Constitution of 1789. Within each state, a cast of characters led the debate, identifying concerns and ultimately deciding to support or reject what became the United States Constitution.

Massachusetts, as one of the most strident states in rebelling against and seceding from England, played a key role. In The Contest Over the Ratification of the Federal Constitution in the State of Massachusetts, Samuel Banister illuminates how the debate played out in New England's most influential state. Identifying arguments on both sides--and treating them fairly--Banister brings to life this vibrant historical debate that shaped how other states would respond and ultimately vote on the Constitution. Many thought ratification in Massachusetts was virtually guaranteed, but Banister's book shows that it was hardly so; there were major concerns about whether or not the new Constitution protected liberty and whether Americans were entering on a naive errand into tyrrany.