Simone Lawson
The drafting of the United States Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but lacked enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. The delegates, including George Washington, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, abandoned the Articles of Confederation and drafted a new Constitution with a stronger national government. A Committee of Detail was appointed to write the first draft, which was then revised by a Committee of Style and Arrangement, with Gouverneur Morris as the primary author. The final draft was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787, and the ratification process began, ending when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790. The Founding Fathers were influenced by existing models of government, including indigenous systems like the Great Law of Peace of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, which had parallels with the democratic principles incorporated into the Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1787 |
| Location | Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Attendees | George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, George Mason, John Dickinson, James Madison, Gouverneur Morris, and others |
| Purpose | Revise the Articles of Confederation, which lacked enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money |
| Outcome | A new constitution with a stronger central government, which was signed by 39 delegates from 12 states on September 17, 1787 |
| Inspiration | Existing models closer to home, such as the indigenous systems of the Cherokee and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy |
| Challenges | Disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade; difficulty deciding how to elect the president |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention of 1787
The Convention faced challenges due to the diverse interests and views represented by the delegates. They debated fiercely over the structure and powers of the federal government, with a particular focus on how to elect the president and the balance of power between the national government and the states. The delegates' wariness of centralised power, stemming from their loyalty to their respective states, influenced the shape of the constitution.
To facilitate the drafting process, the Convention appointed committees, including the Committee of Detail and the Committee of Style and Arrangement. The Committee of Detail, composed of delegates such as John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, and James Wilson, produced the first draft of the constitution. After further revisions and input from other committees, the Committee of Style and Arrangement, which included Alexander Hamilton and Gouverneur Morris, distilled the approved articles into a final draft constitution.
The final draft constitution was presented to the Convention for consideration and received unanimous approval. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson, bringing the total signatures to 39. The ratification process then began, with the new government coming into effect once 9 of the 13 states ratified it.
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Revising the Articles of Confederation
The United States Constitution was drafted in 1787 by the Founding Fathers, who were former British subjects. The Founding Fathers rejected the British Parliament's model, particularly its House of Lords and Commons. Instead, they drew inspiration from the democratic principles of indigenous systems, such as the Great Law of Peace practised by the Cherokee and the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy. The latter, established in 1142 CE, united five nations under the Great Law of Peace, which included the assumption that leaders were servants of the people and could be impeached if they did not serve well.
The drafting of the Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the authority to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, and the ability to print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young nation apart.
Alexander Hamilton played a crucial role in convincing Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention, led by General George Washington, unanimously elected as its president, aimed to create a stronger national government. The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, crafted compromises and ultimately devised a completely new form of government.
A Committee of Detail, composed of John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, Nathaniel Gorham, Oliver Ellsworth, and James Wilson, was selected to draft a constitution reflecting the resolutions passed by the convention. After five weeks of debate, a committee of style, including Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris, was appointed to prepare a final draft. On September 17, 1787, the final draft of the Constitution was presented to the convention and received unanimous approval. Thirty-nine delegates from twelve states signed the document, excluding Rhode Island, which later became the final state to ratify the Constitution on May 29, 1790.
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The Committee of Detail
The committee was tasked with drafting a constitution that would address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The Articles gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, or print money. The committee referenced state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, plans submitted to the convention, and other available material, including the writings of European political philosophers such as Montesquieu and John Locke.
The committee's draft constitution included twenty-three articles (plus a preamble) and was presented to the convention on August 6, 1787. This draft served as the first workable constitutional plan, as previous plans, such as Madison's Virginia Plan, had only been outlines of goals and broad structures. The committee's report included numerous provisions that had not been previously discussed by the convention but were not likely to be controversial.
One notable aspect of the committee's work was the tension between Rutledge and Wilson, who held differing views on states' rights and the balance of power between the national and state governments. Wilson modified the list of enumerated powers by adding the necessary and proper clause and strengthening the supremacy clause, setting the final balance between national and state governments in the final document.
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The Committee of Style and Arrangement
The drafting of the US Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but lacked enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. However, the convention soon abandoned the Articles, drafting a new Constitution with a stronger national government.
After two months of fierce debate over the structure and powers of the new federal government, the convention appointed a Committee of Detail to draft a written constitution. The committee members were Nathaniel Gorham of Massachusetts, John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, James Wilson, and Oliver Ellsworth. They studied the Convention's resolutions, state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, and other applicable reports and documents. Edmund Randolph of Virginia wrote an initial rough draft, which was revised by James Wilson and then reviewed by the committee. A clean copy was then sent to Philadelphia printers John Dunlap and David Claypoole to print confidential copies for the delegates.
After five weeks of debate over the Committee of Detail's draft, the convention appointed a Committee of Style and Arrangement to prepare a final version. The committee members were Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris, who became known as the "penman of the Constitution" for his work on the final draft. The committee distilled a final draft constitution from the twenty-three approved articles. Gouverneur Morris was the primary author of the completed final draft, which reorganised the twenty-three articles into a cohesive document containing seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The committee also presented a proposed letter to accompany the constitution when delivered to Congress.
On September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention voted in favour of the Constitution. Thirty-nine delegates from twelve states signed the document, with the notable exception of Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry, who declined. The ratification process then began, ending when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
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Ratification and implementation
The drafting of the US Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. The convention was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which were seen as inadequate for governing the young nation. However, the delegates soon abandoned the Articles and set out to draft a new Constitution with a stronger national government.
The process of drafting the Constitution involved several committees, including the Committee of Detail, which was tasked with writing the first draft. This committee included John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, Nathaniel Gorham, Oliver Ellsworth, and James Wilson. After five weeks of debate over the Committee of Detail's draft, the convention appointed a Committee of Style and Arrangement, including Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris, to prepare a final version. Morris, later known as the "penman of the Constitution," did most of the work on this committee.
The final draft of the Constitution was presented to the convention for its consideration. It consisted of seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. On September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention voted in favour of the Constitution, and the document was signed by 39 delegates from 12 states (all except Rhode Island). One delegate, John Dickinson, was ill and absent, so George Read signed his name by proxy. Three delegates—Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry—declined to sign.
The ratification process for the Constitution began on September 17, 1787, and ended on May 29, 1790, when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it. The founders bypassed the state legislatures and called for special ratifying conventions in each state, reasoning that state legislators would be reluctant to give up power to a national government. Ratification by nine of the 13 states was required to enact the new government. On July 2, 1788, Congress received news that New Hampshire had become the ninth state to ratify, making the Constitution the law of the land. Vermont also voted to ratify the Constitution and apply for admission to the Union.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was drafted by a Committee of Detail, composed of John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, Nathaniel Gorham, Oliver Ellsworth, and James Wilson. This committee was selected to write a first draft constitution reflective of the Resolutions passed by the convention.
The Founding Fathers rejected the British Parliament's model with its House of Lords and Commons. However, they drew inspiration from the democratic systems of the Cherokee and the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, which was established in 1142 CE. The latter united five member nations under the Great Law of Peace, which included assumptions foreign to the monarchies of Europe.
The Constitutional Convention was a Grand Convention of state delegates assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. The convention soon abandoned the Articles, drafting a new Constitution with a much stronger national government.
The US Constitution was drafted in 1787. It was signed on September 17, 1787, and the ratification process began that day. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
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