Simone Lawson
The United States Constitution took approximately three months to draft. The Constitutional Convention first assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, with the delegates initially gathering to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, by mid-June, they had decided to abandon the Articles and create a new constitution with a stronger national government. The final draft of the Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12, 1787, and signed by 38 delegates (39 including a signature by proxy) on September 17, 1787. The ratification process then began, with the Constitution officially established once it was ratified by nine of the thirteen states. This occurred on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first draft | May 25, 1787 |
| Date of final draft | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of days taken to draft | 115 |
| Date of first ratification | December 7, 1787 |
| Date of final ratification | May 29, 1790 |
| Number of days taken to ratify | 926 |
| Number of states that ratified the constitution | 11 |
| Number of states that did not initially ratify the constitution | 2 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787
The delegates to the convention included representatives from all 13 states, and they met at the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall). The windows of the State House were shuttered, and the delegates swore secrecy so they could speak freely. They debated fiercely over the structure and powers of the new federal government, with one of the main points of contention being congressional representation. A compromise was reached, with each state getting one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate.
On July 26, 1787, after two months of debate, the convention appointed a "Committee of Detail" to draft a written constitution. The committee studied the convention's resolutions, state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, and other relevant documents before creating a rough draft. This draft was then revised and sent to Philadelphia printers John Dunlap and David Claypoole, who printed a small number of copies for the delegates.
After five weeks of debate over the committee's draft, the convention appointed a "Committee of Style" to prepare a final version. Gouverneur Morris, later known as the "penman of the Constitution," did most of the work on this committee. On September 17, 1787, the convention voted in favor of the Constitution, and 38 or 39 delegates signed it. The Constitution was now ready to be sent to the states for ratification.
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The delegates decided to redesign the government
The drafting of the United States Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention first met at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was the nation's first constitution. However, by mid-June, the delegates had decided to abandon the Articles and completely redesign the government.
The delegates of the convention were tasked with revising the existing government, but they ended up creating a powerful central government with a completely new form. This was a significant shift, as the Anti-Federalists opposed the idea of a strong central government, which reminded them of the one they had overthrown. The Federalists, on the other hand, believed that a robust central government was necessary to address the nation's challenges.
The delegates had to navigate complex issues and represent wildly different interests and views. One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation. They compromised by agreeing to give each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. They also agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person, temporarily resolving the contentious issue of slavery.
The drafting process involved several committees, including the Committee of Detail, which was responsible for creating the first draft constitution. After weeks of debate and revisions, the Constitutional Convention appointed a Committee of Style, led by Gouverneur Morris, to prepare the final version. On September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention voted in favor of the Constitution, and the delegates signed the document.
The Constitution then underwent a ratification process, with each state having the power to accept or reject the new plan of government. The ratification process began on September 17, 1787, and ended on May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island became the final state to approve the Constitution, making it the law of the land. The Constitution has since been amended several times, with the Bill of Rights being ratified at the end of 1791.
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The draft Constitution was presented to the convention
The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention first met at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. The Convention was initially called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was the nation's first constitution. However, the delegates soon decided to abandon the Articles and create a new Constitution with a stronger national government.
On July 26, 1787, 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 was composed of John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, Nathaniel Gorham, Oliver Ellsworth, and James Wilson. They studied the Convention's resolutions, state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, and other relevant reports and documents. Edmund Randolph of Virginia wrote an initial rough draft, which was then revised by James Wilson. A clean copy of this draft was sent to Philadelphia printers John Dunlap and David Claypoole, who printed a limited number of copies for use by the delegates.
After five weeks of debate over the Committee of Detail's draft, the Convention appointed a Committee of Style to prepare a final version. Gouverneur Morris, later known as the "penman of the Constitution," did most of the work. The Committee of Style presented the completed final draft of the Constitution to the Convention for its consideration. The original twenty-three articles had been reorganized into a cohesive document containing seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement.
On September 17, 1787, after several days of further revision, the Constitutional Convention voted in favor of the Constitution. The final draft received the unanimous approval of the state delegations, and 39 delegates from 12 states signed the document. Three delegates—Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry—declined to sign. With this, the Constitutional Convention adjourned, and the states were left to accept or reject the new plan of government.
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The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, marking the end of a four-month process that began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention first met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The delegates of the Convention, tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation, ultimately decided to draft a new Constitution with a stronger national government.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was a pivotal moment in American history, as it laid the foundation for a new form of government. The delegates, representing diverse interests and views, engaged in fierce debates over the structure and powers of the federal government. They compromised on contentious issues, such as congressional representation, and addressed complex topics like slavery. The Convention's outcome was a proposal for a completely new government, reflecting the delegates' wariness of centralized power and their loyalty to their individual states.
The drafting process involved several committees, including the Committee of Detail, which produced the first draft constitution. This draft underwent revisions, and a Committee of Style was appointed to prepare the final version. Gouverneur Morris, often referred to as the "penman of the Constitution," played a significant role in shaping the document. The final draft, consisting of seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement, was presented to the convention for consideration.
On September 17, 1787, the delegates met for the last time. After several days of further revisions, they voted in favor of the Constitution. Thirty-nine delegates from twelve states signed the document, with three delegates declining to sign. The signing of the Constitution marked the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention and the beginning of the ratification process.
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The ratification process began, ending on May 29, 1790
The drafting of the United States Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention first met at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. The Convention was initially called to revise the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, but the delegates soon decided to abandon these Articles and draft a new Constitution with a stronger national government.
The Convention appointed a Committee of Detail, composed of John Rutledge, Edmund Randolph, Nathaniel Gorham, Oliver Ellsworth, and James Wilson, to draft a written constitution. After five weeks of debate over the committee's draft, the Convention appointed a Committee of Style, chaired by Gouverneur Morris, to prepare a final version. On September 17, 1787, the Constitutional Convention voted in favour of the Constitution, and the document was signed by 39 delegates from 12 states.
The ratification process for the Constitution began on September 17, 1787, and ended on May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island became the final state to ratify the document. The Constitution stipulated that ratification by nine of the 13 states was required for it to go into effect. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The journey to ratification was long and arduous, with Anti-Federalists fighting against the Constitution due to its creation of a powerful central government. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the government when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections, which were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789, and the new government began on March 4, 1789. In the nation's first presidential election, George Washington was elected President and John Adams was elected Vice President.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was drafted between May 25, 1787, and September 17, 1787, when it was signed.
The initial purpose was to amend the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money.
The Convention resulted in the proposal and creation of a completely new form of government, with a powerful central government.
Nine out of the 13 states had to ratify the Constitution for it to go into effect.
The Constitution was ratified by all 13 states on May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island became the final state to approve the document.
