Ratification of the Constitution required approval by how many states?

• A. 9 of 13 states
• B. 7 of 13 states
• C. 3/4 of states
• D. 2/3 of states

Answer: (A)

Nine states needed to approve. When the Constitution was drafted, Article VII set the threshold for ratification at nine of the thirteen states, a supermajority that allowed the new framework to take effect without requiring unanimous consent. This gave the document broad legitimacy across most states while moving the new government forward.

Understanding the context helps: the ratification process was about building enough support to replace the Articles of Confederation. Nine ratifying states meant the government could operate and gain legitimacy, even though a few states still held out initially. The other fractions don’t fit this situation because they are associated with different processes, such as amendments to the Constitution, which require two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states.