The Constitution's Framing Meetings

The meetings to discuss the Constitution of the United States were called the Constitutional Convention, also known as the Federal Convention, the Philadelphia Convention, or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia. The convention took place in the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in Philadelphia, between May 25 and September 17, 1787. The delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates. The convention was called to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution but lacked enforcement powers and could not regulate commerce or print money. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention created a new model of government that divided federal authority between the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches, with checks and balances in place to prevent the abuse of power.

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The Philadelphia Convention

The convention took place in the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, and was attended by delegates from most states. The delegates elected George Washington, a proponent of a stronger national government, as the president of the convention. The convention was initially intended to revise the league of states and devise a system of federal government under the Articles of Confederation. However, many of the delegates, including Madison and Hamilton, sought to create a new frame of government rather than revise the existing one.

Madison's Virginia Plan and William Paterson's New Jersey Plan were among the several broad outlines proposed and debated. The Virginia Plan was selected as the basis for the new government, and the delegates reached a consensus on a general blueprint of a federal government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The convention also discussed how the completed Constitution would become law, with some arguing for state legislature ratification and others arguing for ratification by the people through specially called state conventions.

The work of the convention was recorded in the official journal and privately kept diaries, providing insights into the negotiations and debates that took place. The convention ultimately debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, making it one of the most significant events in American history. The Constitution established a federal government with more specific powers, including those related to conducting foreign relations.

Revising the Articles of Confederation

The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Philadelphia Convention or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia, was assembled to revise the Articles of Confederation. The convention took place in the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in Philadelphia, between May 25 and September 17, 1787.

The Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, who feared the country was on the brink of collapse, helped convince Congress to organize a convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation.

The convention's initial mandate was limited to amending the Articles of Confederation. However, many delegates began considering measures to replace the Articles. The first proposal discussed, introduced by delegates from Virginia, called for a bicameral (two-house) Congress that would be elected on a proportional basis based on state population, an elected chief executive, and an appointed judicial branch. This proposal, known as the Virginia Plan, was an outline of goals and a broad structure. An alternative to the Virginia Plan, known as the New Jersey Plan, also called for an elected executive but retained the legislative structure.

The delegates to the convention worked to create 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 final report of the committee, which became the first draft of the Constitution, was the first workable constitutional plan. This draft included an agreement between northern and southern delegates to empower Congress to end the slave trade starting in 1808. The delegates also discussed how the completed Constitution would become law, with some arguing for ratification by state legislatures and others arguing for ratification by specially called state conventions.

The final draft of the Constitution, presented to the convention on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The delegates formally signed the Constitution on September 17, and the convention adjourned at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

Madison's Virginia Plan

The Virginia Plan, also known as the Randolph Plan or the Large-State Plan, was a proposed plan for the government of the United States. It was drafted by James Madison, a delegate from Virginia, and Edmund Randolph, the governor of Virginia. The plan was presented at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia, which took place from May 25 to September 17. The convention aimed to revise the Articles of Confederation, the first plan of government of the United States.

Madison believed that the solution to America's problems lay in a strong central government. He advocated for compulsory taxation authority and the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce for Congress. To prevent state interference with the national government's authority, Madison also believed in the need for an explicit right of Congress to use force against non-compliant states and the creation of a national court system.

The Virginia Plan called for the creation of a supreme national government with three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislative branch would appoint both the executive and judicial branches. The plan proposed a bicameral legislature, with two houses. The members of the first branch of the national legislature would be elected by the people of the states for a term of three years. They would receive fixed stipends, be ineligible for any office established by a particular state, and be compensated for their devotion to public service. The members of the second branch would be chosen by the individual legislatures, be at least thirty years old, and hold their offices for seven years.

The Virginia Plan also introduced the idea of population-weighted representation in the proposed national legislature, with the number of representatives per state based on population. This was a significant departure from the Articles of Confederation, where each state received one vote. The plan went through several revisions before it was finalized, and it eventually became the foundation of the Constitution of the United States.

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Ratification by state conventions

The meetings to discuss the United States Constitution were contemporaneously known as the Federal Convention, the Philadelphia Convention, or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia. The convention took place in the Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in Philadelphia. The convention was convened to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution. 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 convention method of ratification, described in Article V of the United States Constitution, is one of two methods for ratifying proposed constitutional amendments. The convention method serves as an alternative route to considering the pros and cons of a particular amendment, allowing the sentiments of registered voters to be more directly considered. State ratifying conventions are separate bodies from state legislatures, introducing a different political dynamic into the amendment process. The convention method has been used only once for ratifying a constitutional amendment, which was the 21st Amendment in 1933.

The ratification process for the Constitution began when Congress turned it over to state legislatures for consideration through specially elected state conventions of the people. Five state conventions, Delaware, New Jersey, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, voted to approve the Constitution almost immediately, from December 1787 to January 1788. The Federalists, who supported the Constitution, rapidly secured five of the nine states needed to make it law. However, a closer examination reveals that four of these five states were small states that stood to benefit from a strong national government that could curb abuses by their larger neighbours.

The ratification process was not without challenges. In Pennsylvania, for example, Antifederalists in the state assembly attempted to block the calling of a special convention by refusing to attend the last two days of the session, as their presence was required for a binding legal decision. They were forcibly brought to the Pennsylvania State House, and the convention was able to proceed. In Massachusetts, the vote was influenced by influential Antifederalists like Governor John Hancock and Sam Adams, and the state's rural western region was an Antifederalist stronghold due to Shays' Rebellion the previous year. After a month-long debate, the Constitution was approved by a narrow margin of 187-168. The compromise of considering amendments protecting individual rights helped secure victory in Massachusetts, and this compromise was adopted by every subsequent state convention except Maryland.

By the spring conventions, the required nine states had ratified the Constitution, and it could become law. However, powerful and populous states like Virginia and New York had yet to vote, leaving the legitimacy of the new national system unresolved.

Checks and balances

The meetings to discuss the U.S. Constitution were called the Constitutional Convention. The Convention had its origins in a proposal by Madison and John Tyler in the Virginia assembly that the Continental Congress be given power over commerce throughout the Confederation. This led to a meeting in Annapolis, Maryland, in September 1786, to discuss commercial problems, after which Madison and Alexander Hamilton issued a report calling on Congress to summon delegates from all the states to revise the Articles of Confederation.

The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia in 1787, with George Washington elected unanimously as its president. The windows of the meeting hall were nailed shut to keep the proceedings a secret from the public. The delegates discussed the structure of Congress and how its members would be selected, and the completed Constitution would become law.

The U.S. Constitution divides the federal government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. This separation of powers ensures that no individual or group will have too much power. Each branch can respond to the actions of the others, in a system of checks and balances.

For example, the legislative branch makes laws, but the President in the executive branch can veto those laws. The legislative branch makes laws, but the judicial branch can declare them unconstitutional. The executive branch enforces and administers federal laws through Federal agencies.

The President nominates heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court, but these nominations must be confirmed by the Senate. The President also requires the Senate's consent to enter into treaties. The Justices of the Supreme Court, once confirmed, can overturn unconstitutional laws. Congress has the power to remove the President from office in exceptional circumstances.

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