Malcolm Rivera
The United States Constitution was signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates. The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Federal Convention, the Philadelphia Convention, or the Grand Convention, took place in the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in Philadelphia. The convention, which began in May 1787, was convened to address the weaknesses of the central government under the Articles of Confederation and resulted in the creation of a new form of republican government with a stronger central government and a federal system with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The Constitution established the basic rights of citizens and defined the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions, serving as the basis of the United States Government ever since.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Philadelphia |
| Venue | Pennsylvania State House |
| Date | May 1787 – September 17, 1787 |
| Participants | George Washington, James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, George Read, William Jackson, John Dickinson, Hugh Williamson, Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, Edmund Randolph, James McHenry, John Jay |
| Purpose | To revise the Articles of Confederation |
| Outcome | Creation of a new form of government with a federal system and three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) |
| Documents Produced | The Constitution, The Federalist |
| Ratification | Required ratification by 9 of the 13 states; came into effect in 1789 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention
The convention was presided over by George Washington, former commanding general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. Notable delegates included James Madison of Virginia, Alexander Hamilton of New York, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, Franklin, and other important regional leaders. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and John Hancock were notably absent.
The convention was called due to concerns about the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
During the convention, the delegates debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, establishing a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting foreign relations. 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 convention also addressed the issue of slavery, with the delegates agreeing to temporarily resolve the issue by allowing the slave trade to continue until 1808 and counting enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person for representation purposes.
The final document was signed by 39 delegates, with 38 signing on September 17, 1787, and one additional signature added later. The Constitution came into effect in 1789 after the necessary number of state ratifications and has served as the basis of the United States Government ever since.
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The Articles of Confederation
The need for a declaration of independence was linked with the demands of international relations. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution before the Continental Congress, urging them to declare independence and prepare a plan of confederation for the newly independent states. The plan for the Articles of Confederation was first introduced by Benjamin Franklin, who proposed a "perpetual union". While some delegates supported Franklin's proposal, many others were opposed.
The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was completed on November 15, 1777, and consisted of six sheets of parchment stitched together. The document established a league of friendship for the 13 sovereign and independent states, with each state retaining sovereignty over all governmental functions not specifically relinquished to the national Congress. The Congress was empowered to make war and peace, negotiate diplomatic and commercial agreements, and resolve disputes between the states. However, it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money.
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The Federal Convention
The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Federal Convention, took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787. The convention was convened to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation, which had been ratified by all states by 1781. The Articles of Confederation gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money.
The delegates to the convention, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, had initially gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, by mid-June, they had decided to completely redesign the government. They debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, making the convention a significant event in American history. The convention was marked by heated debates, with little agreement on the form the new government would take. One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation—whether it should be based on population or divided equally among the states. The framers 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, with the slave trade allowed to continue until 1808.
Another key issue addressed by the convention was the division of federal authority between the Legislative, the Judicial, and the Executive branches of government. The framers of the Constitution had originally envisioned a weak presidency and a strong legislature divided into a House of Representatives and the Senate. However, they established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments. Under the reformed federal system, many responsibilities for foreign affairs fell to an executive branch, although important powers, such as treaty ratification, remained with the legislative branch.
The convention was marked by the participation of many great minds of the day, including James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, and, briefly, Alexander Hamilton. Benjamin Franklin, one of the most prominent figures of the time, also played a crucial role in the convention. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Read signing for the absent John Dickinson, bringing the total to 39 signatures. The delegates also agreed that the journals documenting the convention would be placed in George Washington's possession until a new Congress was formed under the Constitution. The Constitution came into effect in 1789 after the necessary number of state ratifications and has served as the basis of the United States Government ever since.
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The Grand Convention
The Articles of Confederation had given 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. This led to issues with conducting foreign policy and managing state disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade.
The convention was presided over by George Washington, former commanding general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War, and a proponent of a stronger national government. James Madison of Virginia, who had arrived 11 days early, set the convention's agenda with his "Virginia Plan" for a strong central government. Alexander Hamilton of New York was another leading proponent of the convention.
The delegates met in the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, and shuttered the windows, swearing secrecy so they could speak freely. They had gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation, but by mid-June, they had decided to completely redesign the government. The delegates debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, making the convention one of the most significant events in American history.
The convention featured many of the great minds of the day, including James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, and, for a while, Alexander Hamilton, as well as Benjamin Franklin and the most important regional leaders in the United States. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and John Hancock were notably absent.
The delegates debated a variety of topics, including congressional representation, slavery, and the structure of the government. They ultimately created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. They agreed to a bicameral legislature with a Senate, in which all states would be equally represented, and a House of Representatives, in which representation would be apportioned based on a state's population, including three-fifths of its enslaved population. They also agreed to a weak presidency, with important powers such as treaty ratification falling to the legislative branch.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total to 39. William Jackson, the group's secretary, signed to attest to the Constitution's authenticity. The final document was approved by 10 of the state delegations. The delegates then agreed to send the Constitution to the Confederation Congress to start the ratification process with the states.
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Ratification of the Constitution
The US Constitution was signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787, marking the end of the Constitutional Convention and the beginning of the ratification process. The document was then submitted to the Confederation Congress in New York City, which was the nation's temporary capital.
The Constitution addressed the weaknesses of the central government under the Articles of Confederation, which had limited decision-making and enforcement powers. The Articles of Confederation had been adopted in 1777 and ratified by the 13 colonies in 1781. However, the federal government faced challenges in conducting foreign policy and lacked the power to pass or enforce laws.
The new Constitution established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to foreign relations. It created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances by dividing federal authority between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The legislative branch included an expanded Congress with the power to tax, and the executive branch would serve as the nation's chief executive, or President. The Constitution also promised a national court system.
The ratification process for the new Constitution involved sending the document to the states for their approval. Under Article VII, only nine of the 13 states needed to ratify the document, a two-thirds majority. This process ignored the amendment provision of the Articles of Confederation, which required unanimous approval of all the states. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Georgia. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, bringing the Constitution into effect. The Constitution has served as the basis of the US government since 1789.
George Washington, who presided over the Constitutional Convention, played an active role in facilitating the ratification process across various states. He understood the importance of a strong central government and believed that the Constitution could be amended after it was approved. Washington, along with supporters of the Constitution like Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, referred to themselves as Federalists. They argued for the need for a stronger central government and addressed people's fears about a federal government in publications like the "Federalist Papers."
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution was written in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the building now known as Independence Hall.
The Constitution was written in 1787, from May to September.
The Constitution was written by 41 men, including George Washington, James Madison, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris, and Alexander Hamilton. Of the 41 men in the room, 38 signed the document, with George Read also signing for an absent John Dickinson, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Constitution was written to replace the Articles of Confederation, which had created a weak central government. The Constitution established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting relations with foreign governments.
