Jonah Patel
The United States Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, was the country's second attempt at establishing a constitution. The first, the Articles of Confederation, had been deemed inadequate by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, who believed it left the country on the brink of collapse. The Constitution was drafted by 38 delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, and established a bicameral national legislature, or Congress, consisting of two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date the Constitution was signed | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of delegates who signed the Constitution | 38 |
| Number of delegates who refused to sign the Constitution | 3 |
| Location of the signing | Philadelphia |
| Number of houses in Congress | 2 |
| Number of Senators per state | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
Recognizing the need for a stronger central government, prominent figures like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington played a crucial role in convening a Grand Convention of state delegates to address these issues. The Constitutional Convention, as it came to be known, assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with delegates debating fiercely over the structure and powers of Congress. The convention witnessed the emergence of two opposing factions: the Federalists, who advocated for a robust central government, and the Anti-Federalists, who were wary of central authority.
One of the most contentious issues was congressional representation. The "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise" resolved this by establishing equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives, with each state having two senators and one representative for every 30,000 people. The delegates also grappled with the issue of slavery, agreeing to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person and allowing the slave trade to continue until 1808.
After months of passionate debates, a Committee of Style and Arrangement was tasked with distilling the decisions into a final draft constitution. On September 12, the committee presented the draft, comprising seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. Five days later, on September 17, the final document was taken up at the convention's concluding session. Despite some delegates' disappointment and a few refusals to sign, 38 delegates ultimately signed the Constitution, marking a significant step toward a new form of government. Within days, the document was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation, and the process of ratification by the state legislatures began, setting the foundation for the United States of America as we know it today.
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38 delegates signed the Constitution
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, including George Washington, who presided over the Federal Convention of 1787. The convention was held in Philadelphia, and the delegates met in the Pennsylvania State House, later named Independence Hall.
The Constitutional Convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had established the first national government in 1781. However, the Articles failed to empower the central government to carry out essential functions, such as raising revenue, conducting diplomatic relations, and managing western territories. As a result, the country was on the brink of economic disaster, with Congress attempting to function with a depleted treasury and paper money flooding the country, causing extraordinary inflation.
The delegates to the convention ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, who had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair due to his infirmity. The delegates engaged in heated debates over congressional representation, slavery, and the structure of the government. They ultimately compromised by creating a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal state representation in the Senate, allowing the slave trade to continue until 1808, and agreeing to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person.
Three delegates—Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, George Mason of Virginia, and Randolph—did not sign the Constitution. Critics who shared their views, known as Anti-Federalists, preferred the decentralised nature of the Articles of Confederation and believed the Constitution created a powerful central government that lacked a bill of rights. Despite these objections, the Constitution was signed by 38 delegates, setting the foundation for the United States of America.
Charles Pinckney's Signature on the US Constitution
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The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia
The convention was presided over by George Washington, who was unanimously elected president. The delegates met in the Pennsylvania State House, with windows shuttered to ensure secrecy. They created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the Legislative, the Judicial, and the Executive branches. The framers of the Constitution had originally imagined a weak presidency and a strong legislature, divided into a House of Representatives and the Senate.
Congressional representation was a fiercely debated topic, with delegates arguing over whether it should be based on population or divided equally among the states. A compromise was reached, giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. The delegates also agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person, and to allow the slave trade to continue until 1808.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, which established a federal government with more specific powers, including the power to conduct relations with foreign governments. The Constitution came into effect in 1789 and has served as the basis of the United States Government ever since.
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The Senate was to be composed of two Senators from each state
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787. At the time, the nation comprised 13 independent states. The Constitution was a completely new form of government, and it established the structure and powers of Congress.
The delegates of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 debated the idea of a Congress made up of two houses. One house would be democratic, and the other would be small, deliberative, and independent from the larger house. This became the Senate. The characteristics of the Senate were the product of fierce debate and compromise.
The Senators would vote as individuals, rather than having one vote per state. The Senators from each state would be chosen by the state's legislature for six-year terms.
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The House of Representatives was to be proportionally represented
The United States Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, established a bicameral national legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives was to be proportionally represented, with each state having one representative for every 30,000 people. This was known as the “Great Compromise” or the “Connecticut Compromise” and was a unique plan for congressional representation that resolved one of the most controversial aspects of the Constitution's drafting.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 grappled with the question of congressional representation. They debated whether representation should be based on population or divided equally among the states. The "Great Compromise" was a middle ground, ensuring that the House of Representatives would be proportionally represented while each state would have equal representation in the Senate, with two senators from each state.
The issue of congressional representation was a contentious one, with the Southern and Northern states clashing over the inclusion of slavery in population counts. The delegates agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person, temporarily resolving the issue by allowing the slave trade to continue until 1808. This compromise allowed the Constitution to move forward, but it did not fully address the moral dilemma of slavery, which would later contribute to the American Civil War.
The House of Representatives, as envisioned by the Constitution, played a crucial role in lawmaking and governance. All bills passed by the House and the Senate must be presented to the President for approval. If the President vetoes a bill, it returns to the House, where a two-thirds majority can override the veto and pass the bill into law. This process underscores the importance of proportional representation in the House, ensuring that the population of each state is reflected in the lawmaking process.
The establishment of the House of Representatives with proportional representation was a significant step towards a more democratic form of governance in the United States. It provided a platform for the people of each state to have their voices heard and their interests represented in the nation's legislative process, marking a shift from the weaker Confederation Congress that preceded it.
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Frequently asked questions
There were 38 delegates who signed the Constitution on September 1787.
The Congress was composed of two houses—the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives was to be directly elected by the people of each state, with representation proportional to the population of the state. The Senate was to have equal representation from each state, with two senators from each state.
The size and composition of Congress were the result of fierce debates and compromises among the framers of the Constitution. The "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise" resolved the issue of congressional representation, with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.
