The Men Who Shaped The Constitution

The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Federal Convention, the Philadelphia Convention, or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia, was attended by 55 delegates from 12 states, though 70 individuals were appointed. The delegates were largely wealthy landowners, some of whom were dependent on slave labor. The delegates debated for months over what would be included in the Constitution. George Washington was unanimously elected as president of the convention, and his presence provided a sense of focus and direction. James Madison of Virginia, who was 36 at the time, was also a key figure, having arrived 11 days early to set the agenda. Madison's blueprint for constitutional revision became the starting point for the convention's discussions. Other key players included Roger Sherman, who proposed the Connecticut Compromise, and William Paterson, who helped to author the New Jersey Plan.

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The delegates

The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Federal Convention, the Philadelphia Convention, or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia, was attended by 55 delegates, though 70 individuals were appointed. The delegates, or state representatives, came from all states except Rhode Island. They ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who was carried to sessions in a sedan chair due to infirmity.

Many of the delegates were wealthy landowners, and most were comfortably well-off. George Washington and Robert Morris, for example, were among the wealthiest men in the country. Many delegates also owned slaves, with 16 depending on slave labour to run their plantations or other businesses. The delegates' depth of knowledge and experience in self-government was remarkable. Thomas Jefferson, who was unable to attend, wrote to John Adams in London, "It really is an assembly of demigods."

James Madison's notes are likely the most complete first-person record of the convention. Madison arrived in Philadelphia 11 days early and determined the convention's agenda. Before the convention, he studied republics and confederacies throughout history, such as ancient Greece and contemporary Switzerland. He drafted a document titled "Vices of the Political System of the United States," which systematically evaluated the American political system and offered solutions for its weaknesses.

The anti-Federalists

Opposition to the Constitution after the Philadelphia Convention began with Elbridge Gerry, Edmund Randolph, and George Mason, the "Three Dissenters" who refused to sign the document. It then grew to include Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and Richard Henry Lee, heroes of the Revolutionary War who objected to the Constitution's consolidation of power. In time, the various opponents to the new Constitution came to be known as the Anti-Federalists. Their collected speeches, essays, and pamphlets later became known as the "Anti-Federalist Papers."

The leading spokesmen of the Anti-Federalists were largely state-centered men with regional and local interests and loyalties. They attacked on several fronts, including the lack of a bill of rights, discrimination against southern states in navigation legislation, direct taxation, and the loss of state sovereignty. Many Anti-Federalists charged that the Constitution represented the work of aristocratic politicians bent on protecting their own class interests.

While each of the Anti-Federalists had their own view of what a new constitution for the United States should look like, they generally agreed on a few things. Firstly, they believed that the new Constitution consolidated too much power in the hands of Congress, at the expense of the states. Secondly, they believed that the unitary president resembled a monarch and that this resemblance would produce courts of intrigue in the nation.

The Federalists

The Constitutional Convention, also known as the Federal Convention, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787. 55 delegates from 12 states attended the sessions, ranging in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin. The delegates were largely wealthy landowners, many of whom owned slaves and depended on slave labour to run their plantations or businesses.

Key Federalists at the Constitutional Convention included:

• George Washington: Washington was unanimously elected president of the Constitutional Convention. He provided a sense of focus and direction to the delegates and helped oversee the debate to ensure that his vision for a stronger union became a reality. He also supported lowering the size of congressional districts, making this his only substantive contribution to the text of the Constitution.
• James Madison: Madison arrived in Philadelphia 11 days early and set the convention's agenda. He studied republics and confederacies beforehand and drafted a document titled "Vices of the Political System of the United States," which offered solutions to the weaknesses of the American political system. His blueprint for constitutional revision became the starting point for the convention's deliberations.
• Roger Sherman: Sherman proposed the "Connecticut Compromise" or "Great Compromise," which aimed to address the conflict between large and small states. He suggested a two-part legislature with equal representation for states in the Senate and population-based representation in the House of Representatives.
• William Paterson: Paterson helped author the New Jersey Plan, which aimed to safeguard the rights of small states. He called for each state to have equal representation in Congress and opposed proportional representation to prevent the interests of small states from being ignored. Aspects of his proposal were included in the Connecticut Compromise.
• Robert Morris: Morris, known as the "financier" of the Revolution, opened the proceedings by nominating Washington for the presidency of the Constitutional Convention. He was among the wealthiest men in the country, along with Washington.

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Wealth and power

The Constitutional Convention was a meeting of 55 delegates (70 individuals were appointed, but some did not accept or could not attend) from all the original states except Rhode Island. The delegates were representatives of their states, and their ages ranged from 26 to 81. The convention took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May to September 1787, and its purpose was to address the problems of the weak central government under the Articles of Confederation.

The delegates were largely wealthy landowners, with 25 of them owning slaves. Many depended on slave labour to run their plantations or other businesses that formed the mainstay of their income. George Washington and Robert Morris, for example, were among the wealthiest men in the country. The delegates' wealth and power were reflected in their views on government and the role of the federal government.

Some delegates, such as Pierce Butler of South Carolina, believed that only wealthy men of property could be trusted with political power. They advocated for a strong central government with more specific powers, including the power to conduct foreign relations. These delegates were concerned with protecting their own class interests and ensuring that the federal government had the necessary authority to address issues such as foreign relations and the payment of debts from the Revolutionary War.

On the other hand, there was also opposition to the centralisation of power. Some delegates, like Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts and Roger Sherman of Connecticut, feared that a strong central government could lead to mob rule and anarchy. They wanted to protect local interests and ensure that the federal government would not infringe on state sovereignty. These delegates proposed a legislature with two parts: equal representation for states in the Senate and population-based representation in the House of Representatives, also known as the "Connecticut Compromise."

The delegates' wealth and power also influenced the outcome of the convention. Despite their differences, they created a model of government that relied on a series of checks and balances, dividing federal authority between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches to ensure that no one branch became more powerful than the others. This compromise allowed them to address the issues they faced while also balancing their diverse interests and ensuring that no single group dominated the decision-making process.

The outcome

The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia from May to September 1787, with 55 delegates in attendance. The delegates, or representatives of the states, debated for months over what would be included in the Constitution. The convention was not initially intended to draft a new constitution, but rather to discuss and make improvements to the existing Articles of Confederation. However, once the convention began, most delegates agreed that a new system of government was needed.

Several plans were proposed and debated, including Madison's Virginia Plan and William Paterson's New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan, presented by Governor Edmund Randolph, provided for a national government with three branches: a legislative branch to make laws, an executive branch to provide leadership and enforce laws, and a judicial branch to explain and interpret laws. The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, aimed to safeguard the rights of small states and called for each state to have equal representation in Congress.

The final Constitution included elements of both plans. For example, it adopted the idea of a two-part legislature, with the Senate providing equal representation for states and the House of Representatives providing representation based on population. The Constitution also included a Bill of Rights, despite it not being included in the initial draft, as many states ratified it with the understanding that a Bill of Rights would follow.

In the end, 39 of the 55 delegates signed the Constitution, although it is likely that none were completely satisfied with the final document. The Constitutional Convention thus marked a significant turning point in the history of the United States, laying the foundation for a new federal government with a system of checks and balances to ensure a more effective and balanced exercise of power.

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