University of Wisconsin Center for the Study of the American Constitution, Virginia Ratifies the Constitution, 25 June 1788

Virgina played an important role at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Delegate Edmund Randolph proposed what became known as the Virginia Plan, which was written primarily by fellow Virginian James Madison and proposed a bicameral legislature, along with executive and judicial branches with checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power. However, Virginia had not ratified the Constitution by the time the document had achieved the necessary nine votes to become the law of the land. Regardless, the vote of Virginia--one of the biggest among the thirteen states (it included what are now West Virginia and Kentucky at the time), the most populous, and an economic powerhouse--was extremely important for the success of the union. At Virginia's ratifying convention, the delegation was equally split with 84 Federalists and 84 Antifederalists. During debates, Patrick Henry was the leading orator on the Antifederalist side, and Madison on the Federalist side. On Wednesday, June 25, 1788, the Convention narrowly ratified the United States Constitution with 89 ayes and 79 noes, making it the tenth state to vote for ratification and join the union. One reason five Antifederalists may have switched sides was that Madison conceded that a Bill of Rights should be added to the Constitution. Virginia sent twenty amendments for the Bill of Rights and twenty amendments for the body of the Constitution.