<P> Transmitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then sitting in New York City, it was within the power of Congress to expedite or block ratification of the proposed Constitution . The new frame of government that the Philadelphia Convention presented was technically only a revision of the Articles of Confederation . After several days of debate, Congress voted to transmit the document to the thirteen states for ratification according to the process outlined in its Article VII . Each state legislature was to call elections for a "Federal Convention" to ratify the new Constitution, rather then consider ratification itself; a departure from the standard constitutional practice at that time, designed to expanded the franchise in order to more nearly embrace "the people". The frame of government itself was to go into force among the States so acting upon the approval of nine (i.e. two - thirds of the 13) states; also a departure from constitutional practice, as the Articles of Confederation could only be amended by unanimous vote of all the states . </P> <P> Three members of the Convention--Madison, Gorham, and King--were also Members of Congress . They proceeded at once to New York, where Congress was in session, to placate the expected opposition . Aware of their vanishing authority, Congress, on September 28, after some debate, resolved unanimously to submit the Constitution to the States for action, "in conformity to the resolves of the Convention", but with no recommendation either for or against its adoption . </P> <P> Two parties soon developed, one in opposition, the Anti-Federalists, and one in support, the Federalists, of the Constitution; and the Constitution was debated, criticized, and expounded upon clause by clause . Hamilton, Madison, and Jay, under the name of Publius, wrote a series of commentaries, now known as The Federalist Papers, in support of ratification in the state of New York, at that time a hotbed of anti-Federalism . These commentaries on the Constitution, written during the struggle for ratification, have been frequently cited by the Supreme Court as an authoritative contemporary interpretation of the meaning of its provisions . The dispute over additional powers for the central government was close, and in some states ratification was effected only after a bitter struggle in the state convention itself . </P> <P> The Continental Congress, which still functioned at irregular intervals, passed a resolution on September 13, 1788, to put the new Constitution into operation with eleven states . The federal government began operations under the new form of government on March 4, 1789 . However, the initial meeting of each chamber of Congress had to be adjourned due to lack of a quorum . George Washington was inaugurated as the nation's first president 8 later, on April 30 . The final two states, North Carolina and Rhode Island, both subsequently ratified the Constitution--November 21, 1789, and May 29, 1790, respectively . </P>

Were there political parties when the constitution was written