Isabella Carter
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's history. The road to this milestone was fraught with challenges, as America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had left the country on the brink of collapse due to its ineffectiveness in addressing disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. The Constitutional Convention, convened in Philadelphia, saw passionate debates and thoughtful deliberations, culminating in the creation of a powerful central government and a new framework for the United States government. The ratification process further ignited debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists, with the former advocating for a strong central government and the latter opposing it. The Constitution's journey towards ratification and its enduring impact on America's political landscape underscores its significance as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 17th September 1787 |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Signatories | 38 out of 41 delegates present; 39 signatures in total |
| Ratification | Required ratification by nine of the 13 existing states |
| First state to ratify | Delaware, on 7th December 1787 |
| Date of official implementation | 4th March 1789 |
| Amendments | 27 |
| Purpose | To revise the Articles of Confederation and form a stronger central government |
| Authors | James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington |
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What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, feared that their country was on the brink of collapse. Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787.
The convention was conducted under an oath of secrecy. The delegates formed an entirely new form of government. A Committee of Detail was appointed to put its decisions in writing, and a Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed 23 articles into seven in less than four days. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with one signature on behalf of an absent delegate, bringing the total to 39.
The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island finally approved the document. The Bill of Rights was ratified at the end of the following year.
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The Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British rule to form the United States of America. The war began on April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and ended in 1783 with the signing of a peace treaty. The first shot of the war at the Battle of Lexington and Concord is referred to as the "shot heard 'round the world".
When the war began, the Second Continental Congress lacked a professional army or navy. However, each of the colonies had a long-established system of local militias, which had combat experience from the French and Indian War. The militias were independently funded and controlled by the colonial state legislatures. Militiamen were lightly armed and had little training and usually no uniforms. To compensate for the shortcomings of the militias, the Continental Congress established a regular force known as the Continental Army on June 14, 1775, appointing George Washington as its commander-in-chief. Washington was permitted to choose and command his own generals, including Greene, Knox, and Alexander Hamilton, his chief of staff. The Continental Army proved to be the origin of the modern United States Army.
The British hired over 30,000 professional soldiers from various German states to serve in North America during the war. Commentators often refer to these soldiers as mercenaries or auxiliaries. The British also had support from Loyalist militias in the colonies, with one unit, the British Legion, gaining a fearsome reputation for "brutality and needless slaughter". The American side also had militia support, and tens of thousands of African Americans sought their freedom by supporting the British during the war.
The war culminated in a decisive victory for the Continental Army at the Siege of Yorktown in September 1781, where they captured roughly 7,500 British troops led by British general Charles Cornwallis. Following this victory, a cease-fire was proclaimed by Congress on April 11, 1783, and the final peace treaty was signed on September 3, 1783, ending the war. The Revolutionary War victory established the United States as the first modern constitutional republic and marked the transition from monarchy to a new age of freedom.
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The Federalists
The Federalist Policies were opposed by the Democratic-Republicans led by Jefferson, who vehemently attacked the Jay Treaty as a sell-out of American interests to Britain. The Federalists and Anti-Federalists were divided over the Constitution. The Federalists supported it, while the Anti-Federalists fought against it because it created a powerful central government, reminding them of the one they had recently overthrown. The Anti-Federalists' critiques influenced the creation of the Bill of Rights.
The term "Federalist" was also associated with three delegates from the Philadelphia Convention and members of Congress: Hamilton, Madison, and Jay. They published a series of commentaries, now known as The Federalist Papers, in support of ratification.
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The Constitutional Convention
The convention began on May 25, 1787, with representatives from 12 of the 13 states in attendance. General George Washington, a prominent figure in the American Revolution, was unanimously elected as the president of the convention. The delegates, including notable figures such as Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, engaged in vigorous debates and discussions to shape the future of the nation.
Two main factions emerged during the convention: the Nationalists, or Federalists, and those who favoured a more decentralized government. The Federalists, led by Hamilton, advocated for a consolidated government based on proportional representation, presenting the Virginia Plan as their preferred model. The convention witnessed intense negotiations and compromises as the delegates worked towards a consensus.
The final document, the United States Constitution, was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 of the 41 delegates present. It established a federal system with a stronger central government and a balance of powers between the states and the federal authority. The Constitution addressed issues such as congressional powers, taxation, state militias, and the protection of certain rights.
The ratification process for the Constitution began after the convention. The document required ratification by nine of the 13 states to come into effect. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 7, 1787, followed by several other states. The process was not without opposition, as some states argued for the inclusion of a Bill of Rights to protect freedoms such as speech, religion, and the press. The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it.
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The ratification process
The initial purpose of the Convention was to amend the Articles of Confederation. However, the outcome was the proposal and creation of a new form of government. The convention was unanimously led by General George Washington, and the proceedings were opened by Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, the "financier" of the Revolution. The erudite New Yorker, Alexander Hamilton, presented his ideal plan for a government, but it failed to gain traction as it was too similar to a monarchy.
The proposal was debated, criticized, and expounded upon clause by clause. Hamilton, Madison, and Jay published a series of commentaries, now known as The Federalist Papers, in support of ratification. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, the Constitution became the official framework of the US government when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify it.
After ratification, Congress set dates for the first federal elections and the official implementation of the Constitution. Elections were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789, and the new government was formed on March 4, 1789, with George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President. The Constitution was not ratified by all states until May 29, 1790, when Rhode Island approved the document, and the Bill of Rights was ratified by the end of the following year.
The Constitution has twenty-seven amendments. Amendments 1–10 are collectively known as the Bill of Rights, and Amendments 13–15 are known as the Reconstruction Amendments. Six amendments approved by Congress and proposed to the states have not been ratified by the required number of states to become part of the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The political climate at the time of the Constitution was divided between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Federalists supported a strong central government, while Anti-Federalists opposed it, having just overthrown a similar system. The Federalists were led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, who published a series of commentaries, now known as The Federalist Papers, in support of ratification.
The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 states, with Delaware being the first to ratify on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify, and the Confederation Congress established March 4, 1789, as the date to begin operating under the new government.
The key concerns that led to the creation of the Constitution were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, or print money. Disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart, leading to calls for a stronger central government.
