Isabella Carter
The US Constitution was written by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787. The delegates were elected by the states to revise the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution. However, they soon decided to create an entirely new document. The drafting of the Constitution was a long and difficult process, with delegates disagreeing on important issues such as the balance of power between the states and the federal government, the structure of the legislature, and the qualifications for voting and office holding. Some of the key figures included Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of individuals appointed to the Constitutional Convention | 70 |
| Number of delegates | 55 |
| Number of signatories | 39 |
| Age range of delegates | 26-81 |
| Youngest delegate | Jonathan Dayton |
| Oldest delegate | Benjamin Franklin |
| President of the Constitutional Convention | George Washington |
| "Father of the Constitution" | James Madison |
| Other key players | James Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, John Jay, George Mason |
| Number of proposed amendments | 12 |
| Number of ratified amendments | 10 |
| Date of signing | 17 September 1787 |
| Date of first public printing | 19 September 1787 |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Convention
The delegates ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, who had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair due to his infirmity. George Washington was unanimously elected as the president of the convention, providing a sense of focus and direction. James Madison, known as the "father of the Constitution", was also a driving force behind the convention, coming well-prepared for arguments against the creation of a new government. Other key players included James Wilson, who advocated for a single executive with absolute veto power, and Alexander Hamilton, who served on the Committee of Style.
One of the fiercest arguments during the convention was over congressional representation, with delegates debating whether it should be based on population or divided equally among the states. A compromise was reached, giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. Slavery was another contentious issue, with delegates agreeing to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person and allowing the slave trade to continue until 1808.
The signing of the United States Constitution occurred on September 17, 1787, when 39 delegates endorsed the document. The first public printing of the Constitution was published in a newspaper, The Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser, two days later. The delegates' work was declared successfully completed, and the Constitution went into effect as soon as nine states ratified it.
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The Founding Fathers
The delegates who did attend ranged in age from 26-year-old Jonathan Dayton to 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin. George Washington served as the president of the convention, providing a sense of focus and direction. James Madison, known as the "father of the Constitution," was a driving force behind the convention and came well-prepared for all arguments against the creation of a new government. Other key players at the convention included James Wilson, Alexander Hamilton, and Gouverneur Morris.
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The Bill of Rights
The US Constitution is the result of months of passionate and thoughtful deliberation among its founders, who were concerned about the Articles of Confederation. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington feared that disputes among the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade would tear the young country apart. 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 had no enforcement powers, couldn’t regulate commerce, or print money.
In 1787, Congress authorized delegates to gather in Philadelphia and recommend changes to the existing charter of government for the 13 states. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May of 1787. The delegates had gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation, but by mid-June they had decided to completely redesign the government. There was little agreement about what form it would take. One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation—should it be based on population or divided equally among the states? The framers compromised by giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate, regardless of population.
Many others besides James Madison made important contributions, particularly those who served on the Committee of Detail, which included Oliver Ellsworth, Nathaniel Gorham, Edmund Randolph, John Rutledge, and James Wilson; and those on the Committee of Style, which included Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, and Gouverneur Morris. Other notable delegates included Benjamin Franklin and George Washington (who served as president of the convention).
Because many of James Madison’s ideas made their way into the Constitution, he is often referred to as the “Father of the Constitution”. The Bill of Rights, which ensures individual liberties, was also a major concern for George Mason, who called for a new convention to reconsider the whole question of the formation of a new government. The Anti-Federalists fought hard against the Constitution because it created a powerful central government and lacked a bill of rights. The call for a bill of rights was the anti-Federalists' most powerful weapon.
The US Constitution is the world's shortest and oldest national constitution, and it has been an inspiration that changed the trajectory of world history. However, according to a 2012 study, it guarantees relatively few rights compared to the constitutions of other countries and contains fewer than half (26 of 60) of the provisions listed in the average bill of rights. It is also one of the most difficult constitutions in the world to amend.
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The Federalists and Anti-Federalists
The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates who endorsed the constitution. The signing occurred after the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, where delegates decided to redesign the government. The delegates debated congressional representation, ultimately compromising by giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate. They also agreed to count enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person and allowed the slave trade to continue until 1808.
On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the US Constitution because they believed it created a powerful central government that infringed on the rights of the states and the people. They argued that the Constitution lacked a bill of rights and resembled the type of government they had just overthrown. The Anti-Federalists fought against ratification at every state convention, but they were unable to organize effectively across all thirteen states.
The ratification of the Constitution required the support of nine out of thirteen states. The Federalists needed to convert at least three states, and they ultimately succeeded in securing the necessary support. The Anti-Federalists were successful in forcing the first Congress under the new Constitution to establish a bill of rights to protect the liberties they felt were violated by the original document.
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The Three Branches of Government
The United States Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 delegates who endorsed the constitution created during the convention. The Founding Fathers of the United States are credited with making the Constitution. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington are among those who are considered Founding Fathers. Thomas Jefferson, who is also considered a Founding Father, referred to those who first came to the New World as "forefathers" during his second presidential inaugural address in 1805.
The Founding Fathers set the terms for ratifying the Constitution, bypassing the state legislatures and calling for special ratifying conventions in each state. The Constitution would go into effect as soon as nine of the thirteen states ratified it. The remaining four states could then join the newly formed union by ratifying.
The Constitution establishes the framework for the three branches of the US government: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Each branch has its unique role and responsibilities, and together they form a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch holds too much power.
The executive branch is responsible for executing and enforcing the laws of the nation. It is led by the President, who is the head of state and government. The President has the power to veto legislation created by Congress and nominate heads of federal agencies and high court appointees, such as the Supreme Court justices. The executive branch also includes the Cabinet, which is composed of the Vice President, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials.
The legislative branch is responsible for creating and passing laws. In the US, this branch consists of Congress, which is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress has the power to confirm or reject the President's nominees for various positions and can also remove the President from office in exceptional circumstances.
The judicial branch interprets the laws and ensures that they are applied fairly and in line with the Constitution. It is composed of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country, and its nine justices hear cases that pertain to issues related to the Constitution.
Each branch of the US government has the ability to respond to the actions of the other branches, providing a system of checks and balances that ensures no one branch becomes too powerful.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was created by a group of 55 delegates, including George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, William Paterson, James Wilson, Roger Sherman, and George Mason.
The US Constitution superseded the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first framework of national government. The Articles created a weak central government, giving 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.
James Madison, known as the "father of the Constitution", played a crucial role in the Constitutional Convention. He advocated for a strong central government and contributed to the Constitution by writing the first 10 amendments, known as the Bill of Rights.
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, was proposed by Roger Sherman. It addressed the issue of congressional representation by proposing that each state would be proportionally represented by population in the House of Representatives and have an equal number of votes in the Senate.
George Washington was unanimously elected as the president of the Constitutional Convention. His presence provided a sense of focus and direction, and he oversaw the debates to help shape the vision of a stronger union.
