Eleanor Finch
The first draft of the Constitution of the United States was presented on August 6, 1787, in Philadelphia. The draft consisted of a preamble and 23 articles covering seven large pages. The document included provisions and phrases that would become familiar to students of the completed Constitution, such as a bicameral legislature composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate, an executive called the President, and an independent judiciary with a Supreme Court. The first draft also covered topics such as the admission of new states, amendment, ratification, and setting up the new government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | Seven |
| Number of articles | Twenty-three |
| Number of introductions | Two |
| Number of articles dealing with Congress and its powers | Seven |
| Number of articles dealing with the Executive | One |
| Number of articles dealing with the judiciary | One |
| Number of articles providing for interstate comity | Three |
| Number of articles dealing with miscellaneous topics | Seven |
| Number of sheets in the earliest surviving version | Four |
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What You'll Learn
- The first draft of the Constitution was written and signed by James Wilson, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from York, PA, and chair of the Committee of Detail
- The draft consisted of a preamble and 23 articles covering seven large pages
- Seven of the articles dealt with Congress and its powers
- The draft included a bicameral legislature composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate
- The ratification process for the Constitution began on September 17, 1787, and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790
The first draft of the Constitution was written and signed by James Wilson, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from York, PA, and chair of the Committee of Detail
The drafting of the Constitution of the United States began on 25 May 1787 when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had provided for a loose confederation of U.S. states, which were sovereign in most of their affairs. The first draft of the Constitution was accepted on 6 August 1787. The ratification process for the Constitution began on 17 September 1787, the day the Frame of Government drafted by the convention's delegates to replace the Articles was adopted and signed. The final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on 29 May 1790.
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The draft consisted of a preamble and 23 articles covering seven large pages
The first draft of the Constitution of the United States was presented on 6 August 1787. It consisted of a preamble and 23 articles covering seven large pages. Two of the articles were introductions, seven dealt with Congress and its powers, one covered the Executive, one the judiciary, three provided for interstate comity, and seven covered such miscellaneous topics as the admission of new states, amendment, ratification, and setting up the new government.
The draft included provisions and phrases that would become familiar to students of the completed Constitution, such as a bicameral legislature composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate, an executive called the President, an independent judiciary with a Supreme Court, a list of powers granted to the legislature, and ratification by conventions in the states.
The drafting of the Constitution began on 25 May 1787 when the Constitutional Convention met for the first time at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was charged with revising the Articles of Confederation, which had been ratified several months before the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781. The Articles provided for a loose confederation of U.S. states, which were sovereign in most of their affairs. While Congress—the central authority—had the power to govern foreign affairs, conduct war, and regulate currency, in practice these powers were sharply limited because Congress was given no authority to enforce its requests to the states for money or troops. By 1786, it was apparent that the Union would soon break up if the Articles of Confederation were not amended or replaced.
The earliest surviving version of the Constitution, written and signed by James Wilson, consists of four sheets. One unique feature is that it lists all of the states in the first line.
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Seven of the articles dealt with Congress and its powers
The first draft of the Constitution of the United States was presented on 6 August 1787. It consisted of a preamble and 23 articles covering seven large pages. Of these 23 articles, seven dealt with Congress and its powers.
The Articles of Confederation, ratified several months before the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781, provided for a loose confederation of US states, which were sovereign in most of their affairs. On paper, Congress had the power to govern foreign affairs, conduct war, and regulate currency, but in practice, these powers were sharply limited because Congress was given no authority to enforce its requests to the states for money or troops. By 1786, it was apparent that the Union would soon break up if the Articles of Confederation were not amended or replaced.
The first draft of the Constitution, therefore, sought to address these issues and establish a stronger central government. The seven articles dealing with Congress and its powers outlined the structure and functions of this branch of government. They provided for a bicameral legislature composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate. This legislature was granted specific powers, including the authority "to make all laws that shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers".
The draft also included provisions for the other branches of government, such as the executive and judiciary. It outlined the process for admitting new states, amendment, ratification, and setting up the new government. The first draft served as a foundation for the final version of the Constitution, which was adopted and signed on 17 September 1787, after a thorough debate and revision process.
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The draft included a bicameral legislature composed of a House of Representatives and a Senate
The first draft of the US Constitution was presented on 6 August 1787, consisting of a preamble and 23 articles. Of these, seven dealt with Congress and its powers, one covered the Executive, one the judiciary, three provided for interstate comity, and seven covered miscellaneous topics such as the admission of new states, amendment, ratification, and setting up the new government.
The inclusion of a bicameral legislature in the first draft of the Constitution was a significant development in the formation of the US government. It reflected the desire to create a strong central government that could effectively address the challenges facing the young nation. The legislature was intended to be a key component of the system of checks and balances that would characterise the US government, with the House of Representatives and the Senate serving as a counterweight to the executive and judicial branches.
The drafters of the Constitution recognised that a bicameral legislature would provide a more balanced representation of the states and the people. The House of Representatives would be the "people's house", with members elected directly by the voters. In contrast, the Senate would represent the states, with each state having an equal number of senators. This arrangement was designed to ensure that the interests of both the people and the states were considered in the legislative process.
The creation of a bicameral legislature was a compromise between those who favoured a strong central government and those who wanted to maintain the sovereignty of the states. By establishing a system where power was shared between the federal government and the states, the drafters of the Constitution laid the foundation for a more stable and unified nation.
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The ratification process for the Constitution began on September 17, 1787, and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790
The first draft of the US Constitution was presented on 6 August 1787. It consisted of a preamble and 23 articles covering seven large pages. Two of the articles were introductions, seven dealt with Congress and its powers, one covered the Executive, one the judiciary, three provided for interstate comity, and seven covered such miscellaneous topics as the admission of new states, amendment, ratification, and setting up the new government.
The ratification process for the Constitution began on 17 September 1787, the day the Frame of Government drafted by the convention's delegates to replace the Articles of Confederation was adopted and signed. The process ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified the Constitution on 29 May 1790.
The earliest surviving version of the Constitution was written and signed by James Wilson, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from York, PA, and chair of the Committee of Detail. It consists of four sheets, with the unique feature of listing all the states in the first line.
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Frequently asked questions
Four sheets of paper.
August 6, 1787.
The first draft of the Constitution included a preamble and 23 articles covering seven large pages. Of the 23 articles, seven dealt with Congress and its powers, one covered the Executive, one the judiciary, three provided for interstate comity, and seven covered such miscellaneous topics as the admission of new states, amendment, ratification, and setting up the new government.
The first draft of the Constitution was written by James Wilson, delegate to the Constitutional Convention from York, PA, and chair of the Committee of Detail.
