Final answer:
The subject is related to the History of the ratification process of the United States Constitution, specifically the requirement for nine out of thirteen states to ratify the document for it to become law. By 1789, nine states had indeed ratified the Constitution, allowing it to take effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is related to the process by which the United States Constitution was ratified. Specifically, it touches on the requirement that nine out of the thirteen states needed to approve or ratify the new Constitution before it could become law.
This mechanism was devised by the Framers as a means of ensuring that a supermajority of states was behind the new framework of government, without the potentially unattainable goal of unanimous consent.
The provision for ratification was a critical part of the debates during the Constitutional Convention and reflects the founders' concerns about balancing the need for widespread support against the practicalities of reaching a consensus.
In historical context, by 1789, despite objections from those who opposed the Constitution, notably the Anti-Federalists, nine states had approved the document, paving the way for it to take effect and for the new nation's government to begin operating under its guidelines.
The ratification process, including the debates and compromises that it entailed, is an essential element of understanding the formation of the United States government and its Constitution.