What does Article 7 address?

Article 7 of the United States Constitution specifically addresses the ratification process of the Constitution itself. This article outlines how the Constitution, once written and agreed upon by the Constitutional Convention, would be formally enacted and come into effect. It states that the Constitution would be ratified by the conventions of nine states, establishing the requirement for a minimum number of states to agree to the new framework of government in order for it to be operational. This was a crucial step to ensure that the Constitution would be legitimate and accepted by the states that were integral to the new nation.

In contrast, other aspects of the Constitution, such as the amendment process or the establishment of specific branches of government, are covered in different articles. For instance, the amendment process is detailed in Article 5, while the establishment of the Senate is found in Article 1. The rights of states, while briefly addressed in Article 4, are not the focus of Article 7. Understanding Article 7's focus on ratification highlights the foundational aspect of how the Constitution was intended to gain acceptance and authority among the original states.