Simone Lawson
The US Constitution is a living document that has been interpreted and reinterpreted by the courts over the years. It is a testament to the genius of the Founding Fathers that the Constitution has been able to adapt to the changing needs of the country for over 200 years. The Constitution was written by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787. While no one person can be credited with writing the Constitution, the Committee of Detail and the Committee of Style both played significant roles in its creation. Gouverneur Morris is often credited with writing the Constitution’s final draft, while James Madison, widely known as the 'Father of the Constitution', laid much of the groundwork for the document’s structure and content.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | James Madison |
| Nicknames | Father of the Constitution, Father of His Country |
| Role | Delegate at the Constitutional Convention |
| Key Contributions | Primary author of the Virginia Plan, which served as the basis for much of the Constitution; wrote the first 10 amendments; wrote many of the Federalist Papers; wrote an essay on the importance of the separation of church and state |
| Other Key Figures | George Washington, Gouverneur Morris, Roger Sherman, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, George Mason, William Paterson |
| Number of Delegates | 55 |
| Location | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Year | 1787 |
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What You'll Learn
James Madison: the 'Father of the Constitution'
James Madison is widely known as the "Father of the Constitution" for his extensive contributions to the drafting process of the United States Constitution. Born on March 16, 1751, Madison was the eldest of twelve children, born into a prominent slave-owning planter family in Virginia. He grew up on a 2600-acre plantation in Port Conway, Virginia, and acquired an understanding of legal publications by 1783.
Madison played a pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. He was the primary author of the Virginia Plan, which served as the basis for much of the Constitution. The Virginia Plan outlined three distinct branches of a federal government: legislative, executive, and judicial. It also furnished the basic framework and guiding principles of the Constitution, earning Madison his title as the "Father of the Constitution".
Madison was also responsible for writing many of the Federalist Papers, a series of essays defending the Constitution. He wrote 29 out of 85 of these papers, which became the standard commentary on the Constitution. In addition, he served as Secretary of State to Thomas Jefferson and was later elected as the fourth President of the United States, serving from 1809 to 1817.
Madison's influence extended beyond the Constitution. He was instrumental in writing an essay on the importance of the separation of church and state, and he played a role in various controversies surrounding the interpretation of the Constitution. Madison's theories advanced the rights of happiness and civil and political liberty. His ideas and beliefs on democracy were compiled into the Constitution, and he refused to take sole credit for the document, acknowledging that it was a collaborative effort.
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Gouverneur Morris: wrote the final draft
Gouverneur Morris, a Founding Father of the United States, is often credited with writing the final draft of the US Constitution. He was one of 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787. These 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 an entirely new document.
Morris, a member of one of New York's prominent Tory families, was just 35 years old at the time of the Convention. He served on two central committees: the Committee of Style and Arrangement, which was tasked with editing the final text and details of the document, and the Committee on Postponed Parts (also known as the Committee of Eleven), which addressed intractable problems at the Convention, such as the selection of the presidency. Morris gave more speeches than any other delegate, totalling 173. He was highly instrumental in creating the language and structure of the Constitution, earning him the moniker ""Penman of the Constitution."
One of Morris's most notable contributions was coining the phrase "We the People," which appears in the Preamble to the Constitution. This phrase represented a new thought: the idea that the people, not the states, were the source of the government's legitimacy. In place of listing the 13 states, Morris substituted "of the United States" and then listed the Constitution's six goals, none of which were mentioned in the original draft.
In addition to his work on the Constitution, Morris also served as an assistant superintendent of finance, working outside of Congress to secure military funding and reform currency standards. He was appointed Minister to France by President George Washington and later elected to the Senate in 1798, representing New York from 1800 to 1803. Morris was also one of the most outspoken opponents of slavery among those present at the Constitutional Congress.
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George Washington: oversaw the convention
George Washington, a former commanding general of the Continental Army, oversaw the Constitutional Convention as its elected president. The convention took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 14 to September 17, 1787, with 55 delegates in attendance. Washington was initially reluctant to attend the convention, which was intended to revise the Articles of Confederation, but his contemporaries, including James Madison and General Henry Knox, persuaded him to take part.
Washington's primary role at the convention was to preside over the debates and forge consensus among the delegates, who were a group of passionate federalists and anti-federalists. He created an atmosphere that allowed convention members to reach the compromises necessary to create a new government. Washington held the belief that America should have a strong central government and a single executive leader, but he did not allow his bias to sway the other delegates. He stayed relatively quiet, only participating to keep order and provide a deciding vote on various proposals.
One of Washington's few substantive contributions to the text of the Constitution was his support for lowering the size of congressional districts from 40,000 to 30,000 citizens. This proposal was adopted without further debate. As the first to sign the document, Washington's leadership and guidance were crucial in the crafting and ratification of the United States Constitution.
After the convention, Washington worked tirelessly to garner support for ratification. He sent copies of the document to influential figures, including Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette, and his strong support convinced many to vote in favor of ratification. By June 1789, the nine out of thirteen states needed for ratification had voted to ratify the Constitution.
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Roger Sherman: proposed the 'Great Compromise'
The US Constitution is a living document that has been interpreted and reinterpreted by the courts over the years. It establishes a federal government with three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. It also guarantees certain rights to all citizens, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to due process of law. The Constitution was written by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787. These delegates were elected by their respective states to revise the Articles of Confederation, the country's first written constitution. However, they soon realized that the Articles were fundamentally flawed and decided to create an entirely new document.
Among the 55 delegates, several key figures stood out for their significant contributions to the drafting of the Constitution. One such individual was Roger Sherman, who is particularly known for proposing the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise. This compromise played a crucial role in shaping the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the Constitution.
The Great Compromise addressed the issue of representation in the legislative branch, which consisted of two houses: the House of Representatives (the lower house) and the Senate (the upper house). The compromise retained Sherman's proposal for a bicameral legislature, which included proportional representation in the House of Representatives, where each state had one representative for every 40,000 inhabitants, counting three-fifths of each state's enslaved population. In the Senate, each state was guaranteed equal representation, with two members from each state.
Sherman's proposal was a modification of the Virginia Plan, which had been put forward by Edmund Randolph of Virginia. The Virginia Plan advocated for proportional representation in both houses based on state population. However, smaller states feared that their voices would be drowned out by larger states under this plan. In response, William Paterson of New Jersey proposed the New Jersey Plan, which suggested a single-house legislature with equal representation for each state.
The Great Compromise, as proposed by Roger Sherman, struck a balance between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans. It ensured that the interests of both larger and smaller states were considered. Benjamin Franklin further modified Sherman's proposal by adding the requirement that revenue bills originate in the House, making it more acceptable to the larger states. This compromise was a pivotal moment in the Constitutional Convention, shaping the legislative structure and representation that continues to define American governance today.
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Benjamin Franklin: a key contributor
Benjamin Franklin was one of the key contributors to the United States Constitution. While no one person can be credited with writing the Constitution, Franklin was one of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787, who made significant contributions to the drafting of the document.
Franklin was a strong advocate for the separation of powers and unalienable rights, drawing influence from European Enlightenment thinkers like Montesquieu and John Locke. In a speech at the Constitutional Convention, Franklin expressed his belief that existing forms of government in Europe were not suitable for the American context, stating that "We have gone back to ancient history for models of Government, and examined different forms of those Republics... And we have viewed modern States all round Europe but find none of their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances."
Franklin's ideas and beliefs had a notable impact on the Constitution. He was also influenced by Scottish philosopher David Hume, whose works he studied while in Edinburgh in 1760. Franklin embraced Hume's ideas, including the notion that high-ranking public officials should receive no salary and that the lower class was a better judge of character.
Franklin's contributions to the Constitution reflect his forward-thinking and critical analysis of existing governmental structures. His insights and reservations about European forms of government demonstrate his commitment to shaping a unique and egalitarian governing document for the United States.
In conclusion, Benjamin Franklin played a pivotal role in the creation of the United States Constitution. His influence on the document's principles and his collaboration with other delegates underscore his significance in the formation of American democracy.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution was written by 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1787. While James Madison is widely known as the "Father of the Constitution", it was a group effort.
Some of the key figures who contributed to the US Constitution include Gouverneur Morris, George Washington, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay.
James Madison drafted the US Constitution and laid much of the groundwork for the document's structure and content. He also wrote the first 10 amendments that were adopted by the first Congress, and contributed to the Federalist Papers, a series of essays defending the Constitution.
Gouverneur Morris is often credited with writing the Constitution's final draft. He also coined the phrase "We the People", which represented the idea that the people and not the states were the source of the government's legitimacy.
