April 28
Maryland Ratifies the U.S. Constitution
Maryland's swift approval of the Constitution in late April 1788 made it the seventh state to endorse the new frame of government and accelerated the drive toward the nine ratifications needed for the document to take effect.
Summary
In the years following the American Revolutionary War, the young United States operated under the weak Articles of Confederation, prompting delegates to draft a stronger federal Constitution in 1787. Maryland's ratification convention convened in Annapolis in April 1788 amid debates over federal power and individual rights. On April 28, 1788, the convention formally approved the document by a vote of 63 to 11, making Maryland the seventh state to ratify. This action helped build momentum toward the required nine ratifications. The process reflected compromises between Federalists and Anti-Federalists in the state.
Context
In the decade after independence, the United States governed itself under the Articles of Confederation, a system that left Congress without reliable revenue or authority over commerce and foreign affairs. Economic strains and interstate disputes prompted the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 to draft a new charter that created a stronger central government with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The proposed Constitution reached the states in September 1787 for ratification by specially elected conventions rather than by state legislatures.
What Happened
Maryland's General Assembly responded to Congress's request by scheduling elections for a ratification convention to meet in Annapolis the following spring. Federalist candidates prevailed in those elections, securing a clear majority among the seventy-four delegates who gathered in the House of Delegates chamber of the State House beginning April 21, 1788. After several days of discussion, the convention took a formal vote late on April 26 that approved the Constitution by sixty-three to eleven; two days later the delegates signed the official instrument of ratification.
Aftermath
News of Maryland's action reached other states while conventions in South Carolina and New Hampshire were still deliberating, lending visible momentum to the Federalist cause. A celebratory parade was held in Baltimore on May 1. The ratification stood without recommended amendments, in contrast to the approach taken in Massachusetts.
Legacy
Maryland's decision helped push the total number of ratifying states past the required threshold by June 1788, allowing the new federal government to organize in 1789. The episode illustrated how state-level conventions translated the compromises hammered out in Philadelphia into operational reality and underscored the commercial and political interests that aligned many Chesapeake planters and merchants with a stronger union.
Why It Matters
Maryland's ratification strengthened the push for a viable national government and contributed directly to the Constitution taking effect later that year. It exemplified state-level deliberation that shaped the federal structure still in use today, influencing later amendments and the balance of powers between states and the central authority.
Related Questions
Why did Maryland hold a special convention rather than letting its legislature decide on the Constitution?
The Philadelphia Convention had recommended that each state call a popularly elected convention to consider the document, a method intended to give the new frame of government a broader popular foundation.
How close was the vote in Maryland?
The convention approved ratification by a margin of 63 to 11 after Federalist candidates had already secured a strong majority of seats in the April elections.
Did Maryland propose any amendments along with its ratification?
No; unlike Massachusetts, Maryland's convention ratified the Constitution without recommending changes, though a minority had sought to discuss amendments before the majority adjourned the proceedings.
What immediate effect did Maryland's action have on the national ratification campaign?
Coming as the seventh state approval, it boosted Federalist morale and helped sustain momentum while conventions in South Carolina and New Hampshire completed their work.
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Sources
- Ratification of the Constitution by the State of Maryland; April 28, 1788, Yale Law School Avalon Project. Accessed 2026-07-09.