Which state ratified the US Constitution today in 1788?
May 23, 1788 — Today, South Carolina became the 8th state to ratify the US Constitution. The assembly was held in Charleston; delegates Pierce Butler, John Rutledge, Charles Pinckney, and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney represented the state.
Because the state’s wealth depended on slavery, ratification included “the 3/5ths compromise,” which allowed Southern states to include slaves in their population tallies — even though they had no rights as citizens.
Nonetheless, this enabled South Carolina, along with other states in the south, the ability to have a larger representation in Congress.
Also noteworthy: South Carolina was the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation — and on Dec. 20, 1860, it became the first state to vote to secede from the Union.
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Words of Wisdom
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
