Why was it critical that the states of New York and Virginla ratify the U.S. Constitution? A) The new government needed these large states' support to succeed. B) These states' approval curbed the veto power of slave-holding states in the Senate. C) All 13 states had to ratify the Constitution before it could go into effect. D) The first president would llkely come from one of these two large states.

To determine why it was critical for New York and Virginia to ratify the U.S. Constitution, let's analyze each option: A) **The new government needed these large states' support to succeed.** This is a strong argument because New York and Virginia were two of the largest and most influential states at the time. Their support would lend credibility and stability to the new government. B) **These states' approval curbed the veto power of slave-holding states in the Senate.** While this statement has some truth regarding the balance of power, it is not the primary reason for the critical nature of their ratification. C) **All 13 states had to ratify the Constitution before it could go into effect.** This statement is incorrect. The Constitution could go into effect with the ratification of nine states, not all thirteen. D) **The first president would likely come from one of these two large states.** While it is true that influential leaders from these states were considered for the presidency, this was not the primary reason for their critical ratification. Based on this analysis, the most accurate answer is: **A) The new government needed these large states' support to succeed.**