Simone Lawson
The first meeting to discuss the United States Constitution, known as the Constitutional Convention, took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 25 to September 17, 1787. The convention was held to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it lacked enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. The delegates, or representatives from the states, debated for months over what would be included in the Constitution, with some states in favour of a strong central government, while others were opposed. The Constitutional Convention ultimately debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, making it one of the most significant events in American history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | May 25 to September 17, 1787 |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Venue | Pennsylvania State House (later renamed Independence Hall) |
| Number of Delegates | 55 |
| Purpose | To revise the Articles of Confederation and devise the first system of federal government |
| Outcome | Creation of a new constitution for the United States |
| Notable Figures | James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, James Wilson |
| Documents Produced | Four parchment pages of the original Constitution |
| Ratification Process | Required ratification by 9 of the 13 states |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention of 1787
James Madison of Virginia, who had studied republics and confederacies throughout history and drafted a document titled "Vices of the Political System of the United States" just before the convention, believed that the solution to America's problems lay in a strong central government. Alexander Hamilton of New York, who helped convince Congress to organize the convention, and General George Washington, a proponent of a stronger national government, shared this view.
The convention was initially intended to revise the Articles of Confederation and devise the first system of federal government, but the delegates, representing wildly different interests and views, ultimately rejected the Articles of Confederation and created a new frame of government with a powerful central government. The new government was established with three branches: the Legislative, the Judicial, and the Executive, with a series of checks and balances dividing federal authority between them. The constitution also included a fugitive-slave clause, which made the states that had moved to abolish or eliminate slavery complicit in supporting the institution.
The final version of the Constitution was voted on by the delegates, inscribed on parchment, and signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on September 17, 1787. It came into effect in 1789 after being ratified by 9 of the 13 states and has served as the basis of the United States Government ever since.
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The Articles of Confederation
The process of drafting the Articles of Confederation began in June 1776 when Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution before the Continental Congress, urging them to prepare a plan of confederation for the newly independent states. The Continental Congress then created three committees to draft the Declaration, a model treaty, and the Articles of Confederation. The final draft of the Articles of Confederation was completed on November 15, 1777, and it was submitted to the states for ratification in late November 1777. Virginia was the first state to ratify on December 16, 1777, and by February 1779, 12 states had ratified the Articles. However, Maryland refused to ratify until the other states ceded their claims to western lands. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on March 1, 1781, and Congress officially proclaimed the Articles of Confederation as the law of the land on March 1, 1781.
Despite the establishment of the Articles of Confederation, the central government faced challenges in conducting foreign policy and resolving disputes between the states. The states retained considerable power, and the central government struggled with a depleted treasury and rising inflation. Disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the country apart. As a result, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation and address the problems of the weak central government. This led to the creation of a new Constitution, which established a federal government with more specific powers and a stronger executive branch.
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Federalists vs Anti-Federalists
The first meeting of the Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia between May and September 1787. Fifty-five delegates assembled in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House to draft the four parchment pages of the original Constitution. The Constitutional Convention was convened to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution.
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists had differing views on the role of the central government and the ratification of the US Constitution. The Federalists believed that a strong central government was necessary to face the nation's challenges. They were instrumental in shaping the new US Constitution, which strengthened the national government. The Federalists included prominent figures such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington, who feared that the young nation was on the brink of collapse due to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the US Constitution because they believed it created a powerful central government that reminded them of the one they had just overthrown in the Revolutionary War. They also argued that the Constitution lacked a bill of rights to ensure the liberties that they felt the Constitution violated. The Anti-Federalists never organized efficiently across all thirteen states, so they had to fight the ratification at every state convention. Their success came in forcing the first Congress under the new Constitution to establish a bill of rights.
The differences between Federalists and Anti-Federalists were vast and complex, and their debates shaped the early political landscape of the United States. The Federalists' nationalist beliefs prevailed in the creation of a stronger central government, while the Anti-Federalists' concerns led to the establishment of a bill of rights to protect individual liberties.
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The Fugitive Slave Clause
The Clause requires a "Person held to Service or Labour" who flees to another state to be returned to their master in the state from which they escaped. This typically applied to slaves, apprentices, or indentured servants. While the Clause does not explicitly mention the word "slave", it formed the basis for the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, which gave slaveholders the right to capture their escaped slaves.
> No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.
This clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court as granting the owner of an enslaved person the same right to seize and repossess them in another state as the local laws of their own state granted to them. It also asserted that state laws that penalised such a seizure were unconstitutional.
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was strengthened as part of the Compromise of 1850, with the federal government now responsible for capturing fugitive slaves. This caused outrage, and an attempt was made to repeal the Clause in 1864 during the Civil War, but this effort failed. The Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery, eventually rendered the Fugitive Slave Clause obsolete.
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The Declaration of Independence
The Constitutional Convention of 1787, also known as the "Grand Convention," was convened to revise the Articles of Confederation. However, the delegates ultimately created a new constitution that established a federal government with more specific powers, including the power to conduct relations with foreign governments. The new Constitution also created an executive branch and a judicial branch, setting up a system of checks and balances to ensure that no single branch became too powerful.
The final draft of the Constitution was signed by 38 delegates on September 17, 1787, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39. The Constitution came into effect in 1789 after being ratified by 9 of the 13 states, and it has served as the basis of the United States Government ever since. The process of ratification was not without challenges, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists holding opposing views on the creation of a powerful central government. Despite these differences, the Constitution of the United States stands as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions in the world.
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Frequently asked questions
The first meeting to draft the US Constitution, also known as the Constitutional Convention, was held on May 25, 1787.
The first meeting was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US.
The convention lasted for approximately three and a half months, from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total number of signatures to 39.
