Drafting and adoption of the Constitution Second Amendment to the United States Constitution

in march 1785, delegates virginia , maryland assembled @ mount vernon conference fashion remedy inefficiencies of articles of confederation. following year, @ meeting in annapolis, maryland, 12 delegates 5 states (new jersey, new york, pennsylvania, delaware, , virginia) met , drew list of problems current government model. @ conclusion, delegates scheduled follow-up meeting in philadelphia, pennsylvania may 1787 present solutions these problems, such absence of:

interstate arbitration processes handle quarrels between states;
sufficiently trained , armed intrastate security forces suppress insurrection;
a national militia repel foreign invaders.

it became apparent solution 3 of these problems required shifting control of states militias federal congress , giving congress power raise standing army. article 1, section 8 of constitution codified these changes allowing congress provide common defense , general welfare of united states doing following:

raise , support armies, no appropriation of money use shall longer term 2 years;
provide , maintain navy;
make rules government , regulation of land , naval forces;
provide calling forth militia execute laws of union, suppress insurrections , repel invasions;
provide organizing, arming, , disciplining militia, , governing such part of them may employed in service of united states, reserving states respectively, appointment of officers, , authority of training militia according discipline prescribed congress.

some representatives mistrusted proposals enlarge federal powers, because concerned inherent risks of centralizing power. federalists, including james madison, argued bill of rights unnecessary, sufficiently confident federal government never raise standing army powerful enough overcome militia. federalist noah webster argued armed populace have no trouble resisting potential threat liberty of standing army. anti-federalists, on other hand, advocated amending constitution defined , enumerated rights providing more explicit constraints on new government. many anti-federalists feared new federal government choose disarm state militias. federalists countered in listing rights, unlisted rights might lose protection. federalists realized there insufficient support ratify constitution without bill of rights , promised support amending constitution add bill of rights following constitution s adoption. compromise persuaded enough anti-federalists vote constitution, allowing ratification. constitution declared ratified on june 21, 1788, when 9 of original thirteen states had ratified it. remaining 4 states later followed suit, although last 2 states, north carolina , rhode island, ratified after congress had passed bill of rights , sent states ratification. james madison drafted became bill of rights, proposed first congress on june 8, 1789, , adopted on december 15, 1791.