Eleanor Finch
The Constitution of the United States was written and signed in Philadelphia in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House in 1787. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 and continued for three hot summer months. The delegates of the convention met for the last time on September 17, 1787, and 38 of them signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | May 25 to September 17, 1787 |
| Location written | Philadelphia |
| Location signed | Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Philadelphia Convention
The convention was initially referred to as the Federal Convention or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia, and most delegates did not anticipate drafting a new constitution. Instead, they intended to discuss improvements to the Articles of Confederation. However, once the convention commenced, a consensus emerged among most delegates to establish a new system of government. The Virginia Plan, proposed by Madison, was chosen as the framework for the new government, envisioning a federal government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
The convention faced challenges, including the divisive issue of slavery, which was protected in the final document. The delegates also debated the balance of power between large and small states, with the former having greater populations and wealth. The Connecticut Compromise was adopted, proposing proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation in the Senate, with each state having two senators.
The summer of 1787 was a gruelling period for the delegates, who worked tirelessly to finalise the Constitution. The windows of the meeting hall were nailed shut to maintain secrecy. On September 8, the Constitution was presented to the convention, and the delegates meticulously considered each section. The final vote on the Constitution occurred on September 15, and it was signed by 39 members on September 17, 1787. The Constitution came into effect in 1789, serving as the foundation of the United States Government.
Thomas Jefferson and the US Constitution: Authorship Mystery
You may want to see also
Compromises and disagreements
The writing of the United States Constitution was a long and arduous process, marked by many compromises and disagreements. The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Philadelphia Convention, convened from May 25 to September 17, 1787, in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall). The delegates, representing a wide range of interests and views, engaged in heated debates throughout the hot summer months.
One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation. The delegates disagreed on whether representation 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.
Slavery was another contentious issue. Some delegates, such as Congregationalist minister and abolitionist Samuel Hopkins, vehemently opposed the inclusion of slavery in the Constitution, arguing that it contradicted the ideals of liberty and freedom. However, to satisfy interests in the South, the delegates agreed to protect the slave trade for 20 years and allow states to count three-fifths of their slaves as part of their populations for representation purposes. They also agreed to require the return of escaped slaves to their owners, even from states where slavery had been abolished.
The delegates also adopted the Connecticut Compromise, which proposed a Congress with proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation in the upper house (the Senate), giving each state two senators. While these compromises held the Union together and facilitated the ratification of the Constitution, they also perpetuated slavery and led to disproportional representation in favour of less populous states.
The ratification process itself was also fraught with disagreement. The Federalists, who supported a strong central government, faced strong opposition from the Anti-Federalists, who viewed the Constitution as creating a central authority reminiscent of the one they had overthrown. The Anti-Federalists also criticised the lack of a bill of rights in the document. The Federalists managed to secure ratification in enough states, and 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 Evolution of Nigeria's Constitution: A Written History
You may want to see also
The Committee of Style and Arrangement
As the summer of 1787 drew to a close, the delegates of the federal constitutional convention appointed a Committee of Style and Arrangement to prepare a final Constitution. The committee was tasked with compiling a coherent document from the textual provisions that the convention had previously approved. Pennsylvania delegate Gouverneur Morris was assigned the role of drafter.
Morris was a nationalist and a strong advocate for a powerful national government. He envisioned three co-equal branches of the national government: the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary. This framework, now a core element of the Constitution, was Morris' construct. He also added all the goals to the Preamble, including changing the opening line from "We the People of the States of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts," etc., to "We, the People of the United States."
Morris made a series of subtle changes that his fellow delegates either missed or thought were stylistic. These changes advanced his own goals, which he had not been able to win during the floor votes. For instance, the committee added the phrase "giving them aid and comfort" to the section on treason to narrow the definition. Despite this, there has been little attention to whether the Supreme Court's approach to disregarding substantive changes is sound. For over 200 years, questions have been raised about whether Morris covertly made changes to advance his constitutional vision. However, legal scholars and historians have either failed to consider this possibility or concluded that Morris was an honest scrivener.
Email Legality: Written Notice in Massachusetts Law
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Ratification by the states
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 or 39 of the 41 or 42 delegates present. For the Constitution to be ratified, it required ratification by nine of the 13 existing states. The ratification process began on the same day the Constitution was signed and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788, officially ending government under the Articles of Confederation. This was followed by ratifications from Virginia, New York, and North Carolina.
The ratification process was not without opposition. Some states voiced concerns that the Constitution did not adequately protect certain rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press. To address these concerns, the Massachusetts Compromise was reached in February 1788, stipulating that amendments—what became known as the Bill of Rights—would be immediately proposed. The Bill of Rights was eventually ratified on December 15, 1791.
The journey to ratification was a long and arduous process. The Articles of Confederation, which was the governing document before the Constitution, reflected a more loosely connected union of states acting as independent, sovereign countries. However, it became clear to America's leaders that a stronger, more centralized government was needed for future stability. This led to calls for a constitutional convention to reevaluate the nation's governing document, resulting in the creation and ratification of the US Constitution.
Mexico's Constitution: A Written Promise to its People
You may want to see also
The first public printing
The US Constitution was written and signed in 1787, on September 17. The National Constitution Centre in Philadelphia has a rare, original copy of the first public printing of the Constitution. This copy was published in a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser, on September 19, 1787, two days after the Constitution was signed. This was the first time the American people saw the Constitution, as the Constitutional Convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy.
The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. The delegates closed the windows of the State House and swore secrecy so they could speak freely. The delegates had gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation, but by mid-June, they had decided to completely redesign the government. The delegates debated for three hot summer months before appointing a Committee of Detail to put their decisions in writing.
The Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed 23 articles into seven in less than four days. The Constitution was presented to the convention on September 12, and the delegates began to consider each section. The final vote on the Constitution took place on September 15, 1787. On September 17, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of the absent John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
The Constitution was signed in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. This was the same place the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. The Constitution was a charter of government that was ratified by the states and became the supreme law of the land. It continues to be an inspiration that changed the trajectory of world history, putting governance in the hands of the people.
The Bill of Rights: A Historical Overview
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written in 1787.
The US Constitution was written in the summer, during the months of May to September.
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia, in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall.
![A History of Violence (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lqpbUFtWL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
