Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution was debated for three months in the summer of 1787, and it took almost three years for all thirteen states to ratify it. The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia was full of conflict and compromise, with delegates representing wildly different interests and views. The debates were contentious, taking place in homes, taverns, and on the printed page. The Federalists supported the Constitution, while the Anti-Federalists opposed it, believing it betrayed the principles of the American Revolution by creating a powerful central government. The ratification campaign was a close call, with Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York becoming battleground states. The final imprint of the Constitution was worked on through the night, and the debate was set for the larger arena.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time taken to draft the constitution | 3 months |
| First draft date | 6th August 1787 |
| Final draft date | 17th September 1787 |
| Number of delegates who signed the constitution | 38 |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| Number of states needed to ratify the constitution | 9 out of 13 |
| Time taken for all 13 states to ratify the constitution | 3 years |
| Time taken for debates | Few weeks |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787
The convention was full of conflict and compromise. One of the most serious controversies was over the question of regulating commerce. The southern states, exporters of raw materials, rice, indigo, and tobacco, feared that a New England-dominated Congress might severely damage the South's economy through export taxes. Another major debate was over the manner of electing the executive. Some wanted the president to be elected by Congress for a long term but to be ineligible for re-election, while others wanted direct election by the people for a shorter term with no term limits. A compromise was eventually reached, with the president to be elected for a four-year term by electors chosen in a manner prescribed by the state legislatures.
The delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing, and a Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed the articles into their final form. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39 signatures.
The ratification debates continued for almost three years, with each of the thirteen states eventually ratifying the Constitution, although some states ratified quickly with little debate. Supporters of the Constitution called themselves Federalists, while their opponents were known as Anti-Federalists. The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges, while the Anti-Federalists worried that the Constitution gave too much power to the central government, reminding them of the monarchy they had just overthrown.
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The first draft was accepted on August 6, 1787
The United States Constitution was accepted on September 17, 1787, when 38 delegates signed the document. However, the first draft was accepted on August 6, 1787, marking the end of three hot summer months of intense debate. The delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put the decisions in writing, and a Committee of Style and Arrangement to condense the articles into their final form.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1787, with General George Washington unanimously elected as its president. The convention was full of conflict and compromise, and as it drew to a close, some of the biggest debates were just beginning. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a completely new one. Wary of centralised power and loyal to their states, they crafted a powerful central government.
The first draft of the Constitution was accepted on August 6, 1787, and the final document resulted about five weeks later. As the members began to consider the various sections, the willingness to compromise quickly evaporated. The most serious controversy erupted over the question of the regulation of commerce. The southern states, exporters of raw materials, rice, indigo, and tobacco, feared that a New England-dominated Congress might severely damage the South's economic life through export taxes.
The delegates had to navigate wildly differing interests and views, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists passionately debating the merits of a strong central government. Federalists believed that a powerful central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges, while Anti-Federalists worried that the proposed constitution represented a betrayal of the principles of the American Revolution. The ratification campaign was a nail-biter, with close votes in some of the most powerful states, including Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York.
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The final document was agreed upon in less than four days
The road to the creation of the US Constitution was a long and arduous one. It involved intense debates, passionate defences, and several close votes. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, and the first draft of the Constitution was accepted on 6 August 1787. The final document was agreed upon in less than four days, and it was signed on 17 September 1787.
The delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing after three hot summer months of heated debate. Near the end of the convention, a Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed 23 articles into seven in less than four days. The delegates came up with a completely new form of government, wary of centralised power and loyal to their states. They crafted compromises to accommodate wildly differing interests and views.
The debates over ratification were contentious, with supporters of the Constitution calling themselves Federalists and their opponents, Anti-Federalists. The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges, while the Anti-Federalists fought against the Constitution as it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown. The ratification debates took place in homes, taverns, and on the printed page, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists arguing their cases passionately.
The final document was the result of weeks of intense pressure and debate. The delegates shared a farewell dinner after signing the Constitution, and the debate over the nation's form of government was set to continue in the larger arena. The road to the US Constitution was a challenging journey, with many obstacles and differing viewpoints along the way. The delegates worked tirelessly to create a document that would shape the future of their nation, and their efforts culminated in the signing of the Constitution in September 1787.
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38 delegates signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787
The US Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, marking the end of a long and arduous process of debate and revision. The signing took place at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, which had begun in May of that same year. The convention was convened to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, which had established the first national government but lacked the power to effectively govern and manage the affairs of the states.
The delegates to the convention, representing 12 of the 13 original states (Rhode Island refused to send delegates), were tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation. However, it quickly became apparent that more significant changes were needed. The convention witnessed intense debates and the proposal of competing plans, such as the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan, which offered different visions for the structure of the government. The delegates grappled with issues such as state representation in Congress, the regulation of commerce, and the protection of political rights.
The delegates ultimately devised a federal organization with a system of checks and balances, resolving disagreements through compromises like the Connecticut Compromise. The final document, crafted through a Committee of Style and Arrangement, established a powerful central government while protecting the prerogatives of the states. The Constitution introduced a bicameral legislature, with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal state representation in the Senate.
The signing of the Constitution by the 38 delegates (39 including George Reed, who signed for the absent John Dickinson of Delaware) marked a pivotal moment in American history. It reflected the hard-won compromises and collaborative efforts of the delegates, who represented diverse interests and views. However, the battle for ratification was not yet over. According to Article VII, the Constitution would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. The document was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City within three days of its signing, and the process of ratification by the states began.
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It took almost three years for all 13 states to ratify the Constitution
The road to ratifying the Constitution was a long and arduous one. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, and on August 6, the convention accepted the first draft of the Constitution. The final document was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 delegates, with one signing on behalf of an absent delegate, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
However, the road to ratification by all 13 states was a challenging one. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it, engaged in intense debates and battles across the states. The Federalists believed in the need for a strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists worried about the consolidation of power and the lack of a bill of rights. The ratification process took almost three years, with some states quickly ratifying the Constitution and others, like Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York, becoming battlegrounds for heated debates.
The tide turned in Massachusetts, where the "vote now, amend later" compromise helped secure victory and influenced the final holdouts. New York was the last state to ratify the Constitution, with a close vote of 30 in favor and 27 against. The ratification process was a nail-biter, with the minimum number of states needed to ratify the Constitution eventually doing so, making it the law of the land, even for states that had not initially accepted it.
The debates and compromises during the Constitutional Convention and the ratification process played a crucial role in shaping the final form of the Constitution. The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, crafted compromises and created a powerful central government while addressing concerns about centralized power and loyalty to individual states. The Constitution stands as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions globally, shaping the foundation of the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The debate over the US Constitution took several years. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 and the first draft of the Constitution was accepted on 6 August 1787. The final document was produced some five weeks later. It took almost three years for all thirteen states to ratify the Constitution.
One of the most serious controversies was over the question of the regulation of commerce. Southern states, exporters of raw materials, rice, indigo, and tobacco, were concerned that a New England-dominated Congress might damage their economic interests through export taxes. There was also debate over whether to have a single or plural executive.
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington were key figures in the debates, along with other delegates representing different interests and views.
The delegates came up with a completely new form of government, creating a powerful central government. The final Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on 17 September 1787.
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