Final answer:
Virginia and New York were essential in legitimizing the Constitution due to their size, influence, and the leadership roles of their key figures. The bill of rights promise was a pivotal aspect of their ratification. Their participation ensured a more effective and nationally endorsed Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
It was important for large states such as Virginia and New York to approve the Constitution because their economic, political, and social influence was critical to the success of the new nation. Although only nine states were needed to ratify the Constitution, the ratification by Virginia and New York provided the United States with broader support and legitimacy.
Virginia, being home to influential leaders like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison, played a significant role in shaping the nation. The promise of a bill of rights was a decisive factor that led to the Constitution's acceptance in these large states.
Without the approval of Virginia and New York, the Constitution might not have been as effective, and the American national experiment could have been jeopardized. The eventual ratification of the Constitution by all thirteen states marked the triumph of the Federalists and the beginning of a new era in American history.