Simone Lawson
On September 17, 1787, 38 or 39 delegates signed the final draft of the US Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation. The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of four months of secret debate by the Founding Fathers, who sought to create a new form of government. The document would not become binding until it was ratified by at least nine of the 13 states, and public debate over the Constitution was just beginning.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | September 17, 1787 |
| Event | The U.S. Constitution was signed by 38 or 39 delegates at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia |
| Previous System | The Articles of Confederation, ratified in 1781, provided a loose confederation of sovereign states with a weak central government |
| New System | The Constitution proposed an entirely new form of government with a federal organisation and a system of checks and balances |
| Ratification Requirements | Article VII dictated that the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states |
| Ratification Process | The public debate over the Constitution began after the signing, with arguments for and against the document. The first five states ratified it in quick succession, but other states, especially Massachusetts, opposed it. A compromise was reached, and the Constitution was ratified by the necessary nine states by June 21, 1788 |
| Amendments | The first Congress of the United States adopted 12 amendments to the Constitution—the Bill of Rights—in September 1789, and ten of these amendments were ratified in 1791 |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was signed by 38/39 delegates
On September 17, 1787, 39 delegates signed the United States Constitution, marking the end of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The convention, which began in May of the same year, was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had created a weak central government with limited powers.
The 39 delegates represented 12 states, with Rhode Island being the only state that did not send a delegate. The delegates ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin. The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of four months of intense debate and compromise, with delegates clashing over issues such as state sovereignty and representation.
The Constitution proposed an entirely new form of government, with a federal organisation characterised by a system of checks and balances. It addressed basic issues such as the structure of the government, the basis of representation, and the regulation of interstate trade. The document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states.
The public debate over the Constitution continued even after the signing, with supporters of the document advocating for ratification by the necessary nine states. The Constitution was officially adopted by the United States when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it on June 21, 1788.
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The document required ratification by nine of 13 states
On September 17, 1787, the United States Constitution was signed by 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's history. This document, which has since become the world's longest-standing written constitution, established the framework for the US federal government and the rights and liberties that it would protect. For the Constitution to come into effect, however, it required ratification by at least nine of the 13 states.
The process of ratification began immediately after the Constitutional Convention concluded. The document was sent to the Confederation Congress, which then submitted it to the states for their approval. The debate over ratification divided Americans, with the Federalists supporting the creation of a stronger central government and the Anti-Federalists expressing concerns about the potential loss of states' rights and limited representation in the new government.
The battle for ratification was intense, and the Federalists worked diligently to secure the necessary nine states. By the end of 1787, five states had ratified the Constitution: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. In 1788, three more states joined them: Massachusetts, Maryland, and South Carolina. The ninth state, New Hampshire, ratified on June 21, 1788, ensuring that the new framework of government would come into force.
The remaining four states, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and Rhode Island, would eventually ratify the Constitution as well, but only after sending their delegations to the new Congress under the Constitution and facing the prospect of being left outside the Union. The struggle over ratification highlighted the deep divisions within the young nation and set the stage for the early political battles that would shape the country's future.
The significance of this event cannot be overstated. The Constitution's ratification marked a turning point in the history of the United States, transforming it from a loose confederation of states under the Articles of Confederation to a stronger, more unified nation with a federal government that could effectively address the challenges facing the country. The document's endurance and adaptability have made it a model for constitutions around the world.
The process of attaining the required nine states' approval was a critical step in the Constitution's journey to becoming the foundational document of the United States. It reflected the delicate balance between the states' interests and the need for a stronger central government, setting the course for the nation's future political development.
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The Articles of Confederation were replaced
On September 17, 1787, the United States Constitution was signed by 38 or 39 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. This event marked a significant turning point in American history, as the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation and proposed a new form of government.
The Articles of Confederation had been ratified in 1777 by the Continental Congress, but it wasn't until 1781 that they were ratified by the states. The Articles established a loose confederation of sovereign states, with each state retaining significant autonomy. The Continental Congress, serving as the central authority, had limited power and struggled to enforce its requests to the states for funds, troops, or support in governing foreign affairs, conducting war, and regulating currency.
By 1786, it became apparent that the Articles of Confederation needed to be amended or replaced. The weaknesses of the Articles were exposed by events such as Shays' Rebellion in 1786-1787, where debt-ridden farmers in western Massachusetts staged an armed uprising. This highlighted the inability of the federal government to effectively respond to such crises.
As a result, the Continental Congress called for a national convention in 1787 to revise the Articles. The delegates, including George Washington, unanimously elected as the convention's president, clashed over issues of state sovereignty and representation. The convention ultimately discarded the idea of amending the Articles and instead drafted a new Constitution, proposing a different form of government.
The Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, established a federal organization with a system of checks and balances. It addressed issues such as state representation in Congress, proposing a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate. However, it would not become binding until it was ratified by at least nine of the 13 states, as dictated by Article VII.
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The Constitution was sent to states for ratification
On September 17, 1787, 38 to 39 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the final draft of the Constitution. The document was then submitted to the Congress of the Confederation in New York City, the nation's temporary capital.
The Constitution was intended to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had been ratified in 1781. However, the delegates ultimately devised a new form of government with a federal organization characterized by a system of checks and balances. The new Constitution proposed by the delegates replaced the loose confederation of sovereign states established by the Articles of Confederation.
Under Article VII, the Constitution would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. This process ignored the amendment provision of the Articles of Confederation, which required unanimous approval of all the states. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut.
Some states, such as Massachusetts, opposed the document because it failed to reserve undelegated powers to the states and lacked protection for basic political rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and the press. A compromise was reached in February 1788, known as the Massachusetts Compromise, which stipulated that amendments would be proposed to address these concerns. As a result, Massachusetts ratified the Constitution, followed by Maryland and South Carolina.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, making it the official framework of the government of the United States of America.
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The Connecticut Compromise resolved representation issues
On September 17, 1787, 38 or 39 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the United States Constitution. The signing of the Constitution was the culmination of four months of secret debate and discussion, replacing the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government.
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the Constitution. The Compromise resolved issues of representation in the federal government by retaining a bicameral legislature, with proportional representation in the lower house (House of Representatives) and equal representation of the states in the upper house (Senate).
The Convention saw delegates clash over issues of state sovereignty, with small and large states battling over the distribution of power. Large states sought proportional legislation, while smaller states wanted equal representation. The Connecticut Compromise proposed a dual system of representation, with the upper house having equal representation from each state, and the lower house having proportional representation based on a state's population.
The Compromise was proposed by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, and it built upon earlier proposals such as the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan, proposed by Edmund Randolph, advocated for a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population or wealth. The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson, called for equal representation in Congress. The Connecticut Compromise combined elements of both plans, ensuring that small and large states had a say in the federal government.
The Connecticut Compromise played a crucial role in shaping the structure and representation of the United States government, and it remains a significant moment in the country's constitutional history.
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Frequently asked questions
The U.S. Constitution was signed by 38 or 39 delegates at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.
The Constitutional Convention was a national convention called for by the Continental Congress on February 21, 1787, to meet in Philadelphia and revise the Articles of Confederation.
The U.S. Constitution was written to replace the Articles of Confederation and proposed an entirely new form of government.
The signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787, marked the end of the Constitutional Convention and the beginning of public debate over the Constitution.
The U.S. Constitution was ratified by the necessary nine out of 13 U.S. states, with New Hampshire becoming the ninth state on June 21, 1788. The Constitution went into effect on March 4, 1789.
