Simone Lawson
The US Constitution was drafted by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787. The delegates were elected by the states to revise the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution. However, the Articles were deemed fundamentally flawed, and the delegates decided to create a new document. The drafting of the Constitution was a long and challenging process, with delegates disagreeing on issues such as the balance of power between states and the federal government, the structure of the legislature, and voting qualifications. The final document was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 41 delegates present, and ratified on June 21, 1788. James Madison, often referred to as the Father of the Constitution, played a crucial role in its drafting and defence. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and others also made significant contributions to the Constitution, which replaced the Articles of Confederation and established the three branches of the federal government: the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of authors | 55 |
| First author | Edmund Randolph |
| First draft date | August 6, 1787 |
| Final draft date | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of signatures | 39 |
| Number of ratifying states | 11 |
| Key figures | James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, George Mason, John Dickinson, James Wilson, William Paterson |
| Key compromises | Connecticut Compromise (or Great Compromise), "vote now, amend later" |
| Key issues | Balance of power between states and federal government, structure of legislature, qualifications for voting and office holding, regulation of commerce, slavery |
| Previous constitution | Articles of Confederation |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Articles of Confederation
The Articles outlined a Congress with representation not based on population – each state held one vote. Ratification by all 13 states was necessary to set the Confederation into motion. The Articles also 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 states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington were among those who feared their country was on the brink of collapse. In May 1786, Charles Pinckney of South Carolina proposed that Congress revise the Articles of Confederation. Congress responded by appointing a committee to draft amendments to the Articles. On August 7, 1786, the committee produced these amendments, written chiefly by committee chairman Pinckney.
The amendments would have granted Congress exclusive power over commerce and outlined punishments for poor attendance by members of Congress. However, they were never acted upon. In May 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates appointed a Committee of Detail to put its decisions in writing, and a Committee of Style and Arrangement to shape it into its final form. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the new Constitution, which instituted a new form of government for the United States.
The 1995 Constitution: Fundamental Features and Their Impact
You may want to see also
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
The drafting of the US Constitution was a long and contentious process, with Federalists and Anti-Federalists holding vastly different views on the role of the central government. The Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington, believed that a strong central government was necessary to address the challenges facing the young nation. America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, had left the country on the brink of collapse as it gave the Confederation Congress rule-making and funding powers without any enforcement mechanisms, the ability to regulate commerce, or print money.
The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, vehemently opposed the creation of a powerful central government, arguing that it would erode state sovereignty and individual liberties. They believed that the states should have significant autonomy and independence in their authority and that most executive power should remain with the states' authorities. The Anti-Federalists also held that a large central government would favour urban interests over those of small towns and rural areas.
The Federalists were instrumental in shaping the new US Constitution in 1787, which strengthened the national government. The Anti-Federalists, despite their passionate opposition, never organized efficiently across all thirteen states, and so they had to fight the ratification of the Constitution at every state convention. The Anti-Federalists' arguments did influence the formation of the Bill of Rights, which was added to the Constitution to address concerns about individual liberties and state rights.
The drafting process of the Constitution involved several committees and delegates from various states. The first draft was accepted on August 6, 1787, and after five weeks of debate, a final version was voted on and approved on September 17, 1787. The Constitution instituted a new form of government for the United States, addressing the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation.
Amendments Added: The Constitution's 1791 Expansion
You may want to see also
The Grand Convention
General George Washington was unanimously elected as president of the convention, and James Madison, often referred to as the "Father of the Constitution", was a driving force behind it. Other notable delegates included Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, John Dickinson, and George Mason.
The delegates soon realised that the Articles of Confederation were fundamentally flawed and decided to create an entirely new document. They 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. The convention witnessed heated debates and bitter controversies, particularly over the regulation of commerce and slavery.
The drafting process was long and challenging, requiring thoughtful deliberation, debate, and compromise among the delegates. A Committee of Detail was appointed to put the decisions in writing, and a Committee of Style and Arrangement condensed the articles into a final form. On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing for John Dickinson, bringing the total to 39 signatures. The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, after eleven states approved it, instituting a new form of government for the United States.
Citing the Constitution: Essay Formatting
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Committee of Detail
The committee also added their own judgments and interpretations to the draft. For example, they added the phrase "giving them aid and comfort" to the section on treason to narrow the definition from more ambiguous phrases that had been proposed. The committee's report conformed to the resolutions adopted by the convention, but it also included some new elements. The two surviving preliminary drafts and the text of the Constitution submitted to the convention were in the handwriting of Wilson or Randolph.
The draft produced by the Committee of Detail was discussed section by section and clause by clause, and further compromises were made. A Committee of Style and Arrangement was then appointed to distill a final draft constitution from the approved articles. This committee included Alexander Hamilton (New York), William Samuel Johnson (Connecticut), Rufus King (Massachusetts), James Madison (Virginia), and Gouverneur Morris (Pennsylvania). The final draft, presented on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement, of which Morris was the primary author.
America's Broken Constitutional Promises: A Betrayal of Principles
You may want to see also
The Committee of Style
The US Constitution was drafted by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787. The delegates were elected by the states to revise the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution. However, the Articles were deemed fundamentally flawed, and the delegates soon decided to create an entirely new document.
The drafting of the Constitution was a long and arduous process, with delegates disagreeing on several key issues, including the balance of power between the states and the federal government, the structure of the legislature, and the qualifications for voting and office holding.
The delegates eventually reached compromises on these issues, and near the end of the convention, a Committee of Style and Arrangement was tasked with refining the document and putting it into its final form. This committee condensed 23 articles into seven in less than four days.
On September 17, 1787, 38 delegates signed the Constitution, with George Reed signing on behalf of John Dickinson of Delaware, bringing the total signatures to 39. The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, marking a significant achievement in the formation of the United States government.
Understanding Commercial Lease Abandonment in California
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was drafted by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787. Many others besides James Madison, who is often called the "Father of the Constitution", made important contributions. Other key figures included Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Roger Sherman, and Gouverneur Morris.
The Constitutional Convention was a meeting of 55 delegates from all of the original states except Rhode Island. The delegates were elected by the states to revise the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution. However, the delegates soon decided to create an entirely new document.
The outcome of the Constitutional Convention was the creation of a new form of government for the United States. The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified on June 21, 1788.
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. They eventually reached compromises on all of these issues, but the Constitution is still a complex document with many ambiguities.
![Founding Fathers [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71f9-HsS5nL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
