Eleanor Finch
The US Constitution was written in 1787, years after the Revolutionary War ended. The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. 39 delegates from 12 of the 13 original states signed the Constitution, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year the Constitution was written | 1787 |
| Date the Constitution was written | May 25, 1787 - September 17, 1787 |
| Location the Constitution was written | Independence Hall, Philadelphia |
| Number of delegates | 55 |
| Number of delegates present to sign the Constitution | 41 |
| Number of signatures on the Constitution | 39 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed by 39 delegates in 1787
The US Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force, was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This came after four months of debates and revisions by the delegates, who represented 12 of the 13 states (all except Rhode Island, which refused to send delegates). The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of the Constitutional Convention, which had assembled in Philadelphia in May of the same year.
The delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of the 12 states. They had initially gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had established the first national government. However, by mid-June, they had decided to completely redesign the government. The delegates debated various proposals, including the "Virginia Plan," which called for a strong central government based on popular consent and proportional representation, and the "New Jersey Plan," which retained the essential features of the Articles of Confederation.
One of the fiercest arguments during the convention was over congressional representation. The framers eventually compromised by giving 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 and temporarily resolved the issue of slavery by allowing the slave trade to continue until 1808.
The final draft of the Constitution, presented to the convention on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a cleverly written closing statement that made the document seem unanimous. The delegates who signed the Constitution ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81. The Constitution laid out the framework for the nation's federal government, with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
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The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia
The delegates to the convention were chosen by their respective state legislatures, and they elected George Washington of Virginia, former commanding general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War, as president of the convention. Washington, along with James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York, was a proponent of a stronger national government.
The convention debated several broad outlines, notably Madison's Virginia Plan and William Paterson's New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan was selected as the basis for the new government, and the delegates agreed on a general blueprint of a federal government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation—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.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The Constitutional Convention was a significant event in American history, resulting in the creation of a new system of government and the world's first written constitution.
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The Constitution was ratified in 1788
The United States Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to approve it. The road to ratification was long and challenging. Following the American Revolution, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which granted the Confederation Congress rule-making and funding powers but lacked enforcement authority and the ability to regulate trade and print money.
The Constitutional Convention, which drafted the Constitution, assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. The delegates initially gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation but soon decided to overhaul the government entirely. They grappled with contentious issues, including congressional representation and slavery, ultimately agreeing to count each enslaved African as three-fifths of a person and to allow the slave trade to continue until 1808.
On September 17, 1787, 39 of the 55 delegates signed the Constitution and sent it to the states for ratification. The ratification process was arduous, with fierce opposition from Anti-Federalists who objected to the creation of a powerful central government and the absence of a bill of rights. The Federalists, who supported a robust central government, faced an uphill battle, as only six of the 13 states initially leaned toward ratification.
The tide turned in Massachusetts, where a "vote now, amend later" compromise helped secure victory, paving the way for subsequent ratifications. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. New Hampshire's ratification on June 21, 1788, marked a pivotal moment, as it fulfilled the requirement of nine ratifying states, officially establishing the Constitution as the framework for the government of the United States of America.
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The Bill of Rights was added in 1791
The US Constitution was written in 1787, and it stands as the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787.
The Constitution's main provisions include seven articles that define the basic framework of the federal government. Articles that have been amended still include the original text, although provisions repealed by amendments under Article V are usually bracketed or italicized to indicate they no longer apply. Despite these changes, the focus of each Article remains the same as when they were adopted in 1787. Article I describes the Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government.
The delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states; Rhode Island refused to send delegates. The convention's initial mandate was limited to amending the Articles of Confederation, which had proven highly ineffective in meeting the young nation's needs. The delegates came up with a completely new government, creating a powerful central government. Representing wildly different interests and views, they crafted compromises.
The Bill of Rights, comprising the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, was added to the Constitution in 1791. Although 12 amendments were originally proposed, only 10 were ratified. The Bill of Rights defined citizens' rights in relation to the newly established government under the Constitution. The amendments were proposed to address concerns that the Constitution as drafted would open the way to tyranny by the central government. The memory of the British violation of civil rights before and during the Revolution was still fresh in the minds of many Americans. Several state conventions, in their formal ratification of the Constitution, asked for such amendments, while others ratified the Constitution with the understanding that the amendments would be offered.
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The US Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in the world
The US Constitution was drafted at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states; Rhode Island refused to send delegates. The convention's initial mandate was to amend the Articles of Confederation, which had been America's first constitution but had proven ineffective in meeting the young nation's needs. However, by mid-June, the delegates had decided to completely redesign the government.
The delegates debated various issues, including congressional representation, slavery, and the structure of the federal government. They crafted compromises to balance the interests and views of the different states. The Constitution's main provisions include seven articles that define the basic framework of the federal government, including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
The US Constitution has been amended over time, but it still stands as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world. The ratification process for the Constitution was challenging, with fierce opposition from Anti-Federalists who believed it created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights. However, the Federalists, who supported a strong central government, were able to secure enough states to enact the new government.
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Frequently asked questions
The US population is not known at the time the Constitution was written in 1787. However, 55 delegates from 12 of the 13 original states participated in the Constitutional Convention, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates. 39 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent.
The number of people in Philadelphia at the time is unknown, but 55 delegates from 12 of the 13 original states gathered in the city's Independence Hall (then known as the Pennsylvania State House) to write the Constitution.
The exact population of the US in 1787 is unknown, but it is estimated that around 2.5 million people lived in the country at the time.
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