Simone Lawson
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia in 1787 by a convention of delegates representing 12 of the 13 states. The convention was presided over by George Washington, a delegate from Virginia who had served as commander-in-chief of the American forces during the War for Independence. The delegates worked in secret to abandon the Articles of Confederation, which had united the states during the American Revolution but had failed to create a cohesive nation. In its place, they drafted the Constitution, creating a stronger central government with the power to print money, collect taxes, build an army, and regulate trade.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Philadelphia |
| Year | 1787 |
| Presided by | George Washington |
| Participants | Delegates representing 12 of the 13 states |
| Participants' professions | Lawyers, merchants, soldiers, and landowners |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia
The delegates worked in secret, abandoning the Articles of Confederation that had joined the states during the American Revolution. In its place, they established a stronger central government with the power to print money, collect taxes, build an army, and regulate trade. To prevent this new government from becoming too powerful, the framers divided its powers among three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch was given the authority to check and balance the other two.
The convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House, with freshly spread dirt covering the cobblestone street outside to protect the men inside from the sound of passing carriages and carts. Guards stood at the entrances to keep the curious at bay. Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, the "financier" of the Revolution, opened the proceedings with a nomination.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention knew that the document was imperfect and would need to be revised. Indeed, the Constitution has been amended 27 times over the past two centuries. However, it remains the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world, inspiring people of other nations as they write their own laws.
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It was written in 1787
The US National Constitution was written in 1787, during a hot summer in Philadelphia. The document was drafted by a convention of delegates representing 12 of the 13 states. George Washington, a delegate from Virginia and former commander-in-chief of the American forces during the War for Independence, was elected unanimously to preside over the convention.
The delegates worked in secret, abandoning the Articles of Confederation that had united the states during the American Revolution. They sought to establish a stronger central government with the power to print money, collect taxes, build an army, and regulate trade. To prevent this new government from becoming too powerful, the delegates divided its powers across three branches: the executive, legislative, and judicial. Each branch was given the authority to check and balance the others.
The delegates were aware that the document was imperfect and would need revisions. They knew that it would be the foundation for a new government, but also recognised the need for a mechanism to propose changes in the future. This is reflected in the two-step amendment process that we see today.
The convention was a significant moment in the history of the United States, as it laid the framework for the federal government and the nation's future. The Constitution has since been amended 27 times, reflecting the changing needs and context of the country.
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George Washington presided over the convention
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787. The convention was presided over by George Washington, who had served as commander in chief of the American forces during the War for Independence. Washington was unanimously elected as president of the convention, which brought together a group of well-educated delegates from 12 of the 13 states. These delegates included lawyers, merchants, soldiers, and landowners.
Washington's role as president of the convention was significant, given his prominent role in the Revolutionary War and his concerns about the future of the young country. He, along with James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, feared that the country was on the brink of collapse due to the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which served as America's first constitution. The Articles had no enforcement powers, could not regulate commerce, and could not print money, leading to disputes among the states.
The delegates to the convention worked in secret, and they ultimately abandoned the Articles of Confederation in favor of a new constitution. This new document established a stronger central government with powers to print money, collect taxes, build an army, and regulate trade. The delegates were aware that the constitution was imperfect and would need revisions, and they included a process for amending it.
The convention resulted in the creation of a new system of government with three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. This system was designed to prevent the concentration of power in a single branch, with each branch having the authority to check and balance the others. The large states were given proportional strength in the number of delegates, and the state legislatures were granted the right to select delegates. The convention also addressed the process of electing the president, resulting in the creation of the electoral college.
The work of the convention, led by George Washington, laid the foundation for the US Constitution, which remains the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in the world.
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The delegates represented 12 of the 13 states
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and within three days it was submitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then assembled in New York City, the nation's temporary capital. The document was then forwarded to 13 states for their ratification. The delegates represented 12 of these 13 states, which at the time were referred to as colonies.
The delegates to the First Continental Congress in 1774 and the Second Continental Congress from 1775 to 1781 were largely chosen from the revolutionary committees of correspondence in various colonies. The Second Continental Congress, which convened in Philadelphia in what is now known as Independence Hall, served as the provisional government of the United States.
The Constitutional Convention, which drafted the Constitution, was held in Philadelphia, and General George Washington was unanimously elected as its president. The convention was ready to turn the Constitution over to a Committee of Style and Arrangement on September 8, with Gouverneur Morris as the chief architect.
The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, dividing the federal government into three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The large states got proportional strength in the number of delegates, and the state legislatures were given the right to select delegates. The delegates were anxious to return home, and compromises came easily.
The Constitution has been amended 27 times, with the convention method of ratification only being used once, for the Twenty-first Amendment.
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The delegates abandoned the Articles of Confederation to establish a stronger central government
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia, at the Pennsylvania State House (also known as Independence Hall). The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which served as the United States' first constitution. However, the delegates soon abandoned the Articles, opting instead to draft a new Constitution with a much stronger national government.
The Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states. Each state retained significant power, with the central government having limited authority to regulate commerce and settle disputes between states. The Articles outlined a Congress with representation based on each state having a single vote, regardless of population size.
The Articles of Confederation were ratified by all 13 states, but the process was delayed due to disputes over representation, voting, and western land claims. The central government's inability to effectively address economic crises, territorial disputes, war pensions, taxation, and trade issues threatened to tear the country apart. The young nation was on the brink of collapse, and many feared that without a stronger central government, the country would remain weak, divided, and vulnerable to foreign intervention.
In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia with the initial intent to revise the Articles. However, the delegates quickly decided to abandon the Articles and create a new form of government. They shuttered the windows of the State House, ensuring secrecy for their deliberations. By mid-June, the delegates had agreed to completely redesign the government, and after a heated summer of debate, the new Constitution was signed. This document established a stronger central government, with the power to regulate commerce and address the pressing issues facing the nation.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia.
The US Constitution was written during the summer of 1787.
The US Constitution was written by a convention of delegates representing 12 of the 13 states. George Washington presided over the gathering, which included well-educated lawyers, merchants, soldiers, and landowners.
The US Constitution was written to establish a stronger central government that could print money, collect taxes, build an army, and regulate trade. The framers of the Constitution split its powers among three branches — executive, legislative, and judicial — each with the authority to check and balance the other two.
