Omar Bennett
In May 1787, 55 delegates attended the Federal Convention in Philadelphia, tasked with revising the existing government. However, the delegates came up with a completely new government, which was ratified by 38 or 39 delegates on September 17, 1787.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of delegates who ratified the Constitution | 38 or 39 |
| Year the Constitution was ratified | 1787 |
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What You'll Learn
The 55 delegates were chosen by 12 of the 13 states (Rhode Island abstained)
The 55 delegates who attended the Federal Convention in 1787 were chosen by 12 of the 13 states, with Rhode Island abstaining. The delegates were tasked with revising the existing government, but instead came up with a completely new one. The Convention concluded on September 17, 1787, with the signing of the new U.S. Constitution by 38 or 39 of the 41 delegates present.
The 55 delegates who attended the Convention were chosen from a pool of 70 individuals appointed by the 12 states. Out of those 55 attendees, 40 had served in the Continental and/or Confederation Congresses at some point in their careers. The delegates represented a wide range of interests and views, and crafted compromises to create a powerful central government.
The Convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. The "Virginia Plan", drafted by delegate James Madison, was offered as a comprehensive plan for a new government, essentially bypassing revisions to the existing government. Hamilton and Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution, and produced "The Federalist Papers" with assistance from John Jay. These 85 essays explained and defended how the proposed new government would function, and were published in newspapers nationwide.
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The delegates met in May 1787
The delegates had been chosen by 12 of the 13 states (Rhode Island abstained) to represent them at the Federal Convention. Out of the 70 appointees, 55 attended. Forty of these 55 attendees had served in the Continental and/or Confederation Congresses at some point in their careers.
The Convention concluded three months later, on September 17, 1787, with the signing of the new U.S. Constitution by 38 out of 41 delegates present. One delegate, George Reed, signed for John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
Under Article VII, it was agreed that the document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 existing states. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. By June 1788, the requisite nine states had ratified the Constitution as the law of the land, and the Confederation Congress announced that the new government would begin in March 1789.
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The Virginia Plan was drafted by James Madison
The US Constitution was ratified on September 17, 1787, when 38 or 39 out of 41 delegates signed it. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787. By June 1788, the requisite 9 states had ratified the Constitution.
Madison sketched out the Virginia Plan in consultation with members of the Virginia and Pennsylvania delegations, particularly Virginia's governor, Edmund Randolph, who shared his vision of a strong national government. Randolph then presented the plan to the Constitutional Convention on May 29, 1787. While Madison is often given chief credit for producing the plan, Randolph contributed substantial elements of it.
Madison had sketched the main features of the plan in letters to Jefferson, Randolph, and Washington several weeks before the delegates assembled in Philadelphia.
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38 delegates signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. George Reed signed on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, who was absent. The signing of the new US Constitution was the conclusion of the Convention, which had been tasked with revising the existing government. Instead, the delegates came up with a completely new one.
The delegates represented 12 of the 13 states (Rhode Island abstained) and out of the 55 attendees, 41 were present for the signing. The document would not be binding until its ratification by nine of the 13 existing states. Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. With assistance from John Jay, they produced 85 essays known as 'The Federalist Papers', which explained and defended how the proposed new government would function. These were published in newspapers nationwide.
The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. By June 1788, the requisite nine states had ratified the Constitution as the law of the land, and the Confederation Congress announced that the new government would begin in March 1789.
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The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware
The United States Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787. One more delegate, George Reed, signed for John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware, on December 7, 1787.
The Constitution was drafted by the delegates of the Federal Convention, who met in the Pennsylvania state house (now Independence Hall) in May 1787. Edmund Randolph of Virginia offered the most comprehensive plan, essentially bypassing revisions and suggesting an entirely new government. The “Virginia Plan” had been drafted by fellow delegate, James Madison.
Out of the 13 states, 12 chose 70 delegates to represent them at the Federal Convention. Only 55 of the appointees attended, and 40 of them had served in the Continental and/or Confederation Congresses at some point in their careers.
The delegates came up with a powerful central government, despite being wary about centralised power and loyal to their states. They crafted compromises, representing wildly different interests and views. The Constitution was an extraordinary achievement, and it stands today as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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Frequently asked questions
55 delegates ratified the constitution in 1787.
38 or 39 delegates signed the constitution.
The "Virginia Plan".
Fellow delegate, James Madison.
Nine out of 13 states needed to ratify the constitution for it to be binding.
