how many states had to ratify the constitution before it could go into effect?
The Constitution was a compact â though Federalists and Anti-Federalists disagreed over whether the states or the people were the agents of the compact. In September of 1787, it was sent to the states for ratification. Nine of the 13 states would have to ratify it for the Constitution to become effective for those ratifying states. The future was not certain at allâa debate began among the states over ratification.