Omar Bennett
The U.S. Constitution was written and signed in 1787 by a group of delegates from 12 states, and ratified in 1788. While James Madison is recognized as the principal author of the Constitution, it was the result of months of deliberation and compromise among dozens of delegates. The ideas in the Constitution came from Madison's careful study of other writers and philosophers from history. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, but the Convention soon abandoned the Articles, drafting a new Constitution with a stronger national government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | Summer of 1787 |
| Location written | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Number of writers | 55 delegates |
| Writers | James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, and others |
| Basis | Virginia Plan |
| Ratification | Ratified by conventions in nine states |
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What You'll Learn
James Madison, the 'Father of the Constitution'
James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, is often referred to as the ""Father of the Constitution". This is due to his extensive contributions to the drafting process of the Constitution of the United States. Madison was born into a prominent slave-owning planter family in Virginia and rose to prominence in Virginia politics as a wartime leader. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Continental Congress during and after the American Revolutionary War.
Madison was dissatisfied with the weak national government established by the Articles of Confederation, America's first constitution, which 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. Along with Alexander Hamilton and George Washington, Madison feared that the young country was on the brink of collapse due to the states’ disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade. Madison helped organize the Constitutional Convention, which produced a new constitution designed to strengthen republican government against democratic assembly.
Madison was the primary author of the Virginia Plan, which served as the basic framework and guiding principles of the Constitution, earning him the title of "Father of the Constitution". He also played a key role in the debates over the Constitution, and wrote 29 out of 85 of the Federalist Papers, which were a series of essays defending the Constitution. He also sponsored the first 10 amendments to the Constitution—the Bill of Rights—placing emphasis in the debate on freedom of religion, speech, and press.
Madison's influence extended beyond the drafting of the Constitution. He was involved in various controversies surrounding its interpretation, such as the debate on the constitutionality of the First and Second National Banks. He also played an important role in continuing debates about the Constitution as it matured, taking part in discussions on a variety of disputes. Madison's influence on the founding of the nation and the early development of the United States was significant, and his opinions are central to understanding constitutional issues.
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Alexander Hamilton, a key figure
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1787 by 55 delegates from 12 states. These delegates were elected by the states to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was the country's first written constitution. The delegates disagreed on many 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.
One of the key figures in drafting the Constitution was Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton was a strong advocate for a strong central government, and he played a major role in shaping the Constitution's executive branch. He also wrote many of the Federalist Papers, which were a series of essays defending the Constitution. Hamilton is considered one of the most important thinkers in American history.
Hamilton helped convince Congress to organize a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787. After three months of heated debate, the delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing. Hamilton was a member of the Committee of Style, which condensed 23 articles into seven in less than four days.
The final language of the Constitution was written by Gouverneur Morris, who is often referred to as the "penman of the Constitution." The Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on September 17, 1787, and it went into effect on March 4, 1789, after being ratified by conventions in nine states.
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John Jay, the third member of the 'Triumvirate'
John Jay, the third member of the Triumvirate, was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father of the United States. He was born on December 12, 1745, in New York City, into a wealthy family of merchants and government officials. Jay graduated from King's College (later Columbia University) in 1764 and began his legal career as a law clerk before being admitted to the bar in 1768. He practised law with Robert R. Livingston Jr. before establishing his own law firm in 1771.
Jay played a crucial role in shaping the early United States, serving as the first chief justice of the United States from 1789 to 1795. In this position, he established the principle of judicial review and made significant contributions to the interpretation of the Constitution. Notably, in the case of West v. Barnes (1791), the Jay Court avoided grappling with the constitutionality of a state statute and instead decided the case on procedural grounds.
John Jay was also a key figure in foreign policy during the 1780s. He was a member of the delegation that negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the Revolutionary War. Additionally, he was tasked by President George Washington to negotiate a treaty with Great Britain in 1794, known as the Jay Treaty, aimed at resolving outstanding issues between the two nations.
As a member of the "Triumvirate," alongside James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, Jay was a leading force in drafting the Constitution. Under the pseudonym "Publius," he wrote five of the eighty-five Federalist Papers, which collectively defended the Constitution. Jay's involvement with the Federal Constitution extended beyond the Federalist Papers, as evidenced by his correspondence and other writings.
John Jay also held various other significant positions throughout his career. He served as the second governor of New York from 1795 to 1801, during which he signed into law "An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery" and legislation that enacted judicial reforms. Additionally, he was the president of the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1779 and was a delegate to the New York Convention of 1776-77, where he played a principal role in drafting the New York State Constitution.
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Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and others
The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787 by 55 delegates from 12 states. These delegates were tasked with revising the Articles of Confederation, which was the country'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.
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention included Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Roger Sherman, and Gouverneur Morris. George Washington served as president of the convention. Benjamin Franklin was a key figure in the American Revolution and an accomplished diplomat and scientist. He was also one of the oldest members of the convention, at 81 years old.
The drafting of the Constitution was a long and difficult process, with the delegates disagreeing on many 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. They eventually reached compromises on these issues, but the Constitution remains a complex document with many ambiguities.
The final language of the Constitution was written by Gouverneur Morris, who is known as the "penman of the Constitution." The Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on September 17, 1787, and it went into effect on March 4, 1789, after being ratified by conventions in nine states.
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The Committee of Detail and Style
The Committee of Detail was established by the United States Constitutional Convention on July 24, 1787, to produce a draft text reflecting the agreements made by the convention up to that point. The committee was chaired by John Rutledge, with other members including Edmund Randolph, Oliver Ellsworth, James Wilson, and Nathaniel Gorham. The committee's report, delivered on August 6, 1787, became the first draft of the constitution, setting the final balance between national and state governments.
The Committee of Detail referenced state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, plans submitted to the convention, and other available material. They added an Electoral College and narrowed the definition of treason in the document. The committee also added numerous provisions that were not discussed by the convention but were not likely to be controversial. The committee's draft conformed to the resolutions adopted by the convention, but the members also left their imprint on many clauses, exercising considerable discretion.
The Committee of Style and Arrangement was formed on September 8, 1787, with different members from the Committee of Detail. Their task was to revise the text of the Constitution, condensing 23 articles into seven in less than four days. The final document was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates on September 17, 1787, and went into effect on March 4, 1789, after ratification by nine states.
While the Committee of Detail and the Committee of Style and Arrangement played crucial roles in drafting and revising the Constitution, it is important to acknowledge the contributions of other key figures, such as James Madison, often called the "Father of the Constitution," Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Roger Sherman, and Gouverneur Morris. These individuals were delegates to the Constitutional Convention and made significant contributions to the content and ideas of the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
James Madison is often credited as the "Father of the Constitution" and its principal author.
The US Constitution was written and signed by a group of delegates from 12 states in 1787. The delegates were supposed to revise the Articles of Confederation but instead drew up an entirely new form of government. The process involved nearly four months of deliberation and compromise.
Edmund Randolph of Virginia wrote the first draft, which was then revised by James Wilson.
Gouverneur Morris wrote the final version of the Constitution and is sometimes referred to as the "penman of the Constitution".
The Constitution was created to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government. It established a federal system with three separate powers: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
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