Final answer:
The statement is false; nine out of thirteen states had to ratify the Constitution before it could become effective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that only six states had to approve the Constitution before it was effective is False. According to Article VII of the United States Constitution, it required at least nine out of the thirteen states to ratify the Constitution before it could become law and a new government could form. This was part of a grand compromise, recognizing that unanimous consent might be very difficult to achieve; hence the number was set at nine. It was not until New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution in June 1788 that the document took effect, even though states like Virginia and New York had not yet ratified it.