Simone Lawson
The U.S. Constitution, which defines the framework of the Federal Government of the United States, was drafted by a committee of five members: Hamilton, Madison, William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut, Gouverneur Morris of New York, and Rufus King of Massachusetts. The original Constitution is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. While reporters and visitors were barred from the convention sessions, Virginia's James Madison kept a detailed account of the proceedings. Alexander Hamilton, who served as one of three New York delegates to the Constitutional Convention, also kept personal notebooks, in which he studied the ideas of European economists and copied ideas about government and economics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | James Madison |
| Year of Birth | 1751 |
| Year of Death | 1836 |
| State | Virginia |
| Position | Delegate |
| Convention | Constitutional Convention |
| Convention Year | 1787 |
| Convention Location | Philadelphia |
| Convention President | General George Washington |
| Convention Outcome | Established three branches of national government: executive, legislative, and judicial |
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What You'll Learn
Alexander Hamilton's personal notebooks
Hamilton's notebooks reflected his deep contemplation on the challenges that the delegates would face during the convention. As an aide to Commander-in-Chief George Washington, Hamilton had firsthand experience of the complexities surrounding the funding and management of the Continental Army. Through his personal notebooks, Hamilton contributed significantly to the creation of a new Constitution and the emergence of a new government.
The Library of Congress houses the most extensive collection of Alexander Hamilton's papers, including his personal notebooks, correspondence, and other documents. The Hamilton Papers were acquired by the federal government in 1848 and transferred to the Library of Congress in 1904. The collection has been expanded over the years through gifts and purchases from the Hamilton family and other sources.
The papers offer valuable insights into Hamilton's thoughts, correspondence, and participation in significant historical events. They span different periods of his life, including his boyhood employment with merchant Nicholas Cruger in St. Croix, his service in the Revolutionary War, and his role as treasury secretary. The collection also includes letters exchanged with his family members, such as his sister-in-law, father-in-law, wife, and grandson.
Hamilton's personal notebooks, now preserved within these archival collections, stand as a testament to his dedication to shaping the political and economic landscape of the fledgling United States. His advocacy for the Constitution, informed by his written ideas, continues to influence political discourse and the nation's foundation.
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James Madison's detailed account
James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, played a pivotal role in drafting, promoting, and ratifying the US Constitution. He is regarded as one of the Founding Fathers of the nation and is popularly acclaimed as the "Father of the Constitution".
Madison's Virginia Plan formed the basis for the convention's discussions, and he was one of the leaders in the movement to ratify the Constitution. He joined Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in writing The Federalist Papers, a series of pro-ratification essays that are still prominent in American political science. Madison's records of the debates of the Constitutional Convention, published after his death, are the most important source for detailing these deliberations.
In the 1820s and 1830s, Madison struggled to draft a preface for his planned publication of his "Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787". He had planned to publish his journal of notes from the convention as early as the 1790s and had begun to correct it accordingly. However, he continually postponed its publication out of fear that his political enemies would use it against him and that its incompleteness would distort a strict-constructionist approach to the Constitution.
Madison's proposal for what eventually became the First Amendment is broadly consistent with the final product but is more descriptive in some respects. His proposal stated:
> "The civil rights of none shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext infringed. The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable."
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Benjamin Franklin's views on central government
Benjamin Franklin was a key figure in the creation of the US Constitution, and his views on central government were complex and nuanced. Franklin was 81 years old when he closed the convention that debated and created the Constitution, and he had a deep understanding of the importance of a unified government for the newly independent states of America.
Franklin recognised the necessity of a general government, stating, "I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered." He consented to the Constitution, believing that it was the best option available and that it could be well administered for a course of years. He also acknowledged the challenges of assembling a group of men with diverse prejudices, passions, and errors of opinion, and the potential impact on the final product.
Franklin's views on central government were shaped by his practical understanding of the need for a unified nation. He recognised that a general government could provide stability and direction to the newly formed country. He also understood the importance of public perception and the need for a positive opinion of the government's goodness, wisdom, and integrity. In his address, he emphasised the potential advantages of a unified front in gaining support from foreign nations.
Franklin's speech at the Federal Convention, which he had written down for his convenience, provides valuable insight into his views on central government. He acknowledged that there were parts of the Constitution that he did not approve of, but he was open to changing his opinions based on better information or fuller consideration. This humility and respect for the judgment of others reflect a pragmatic approach to governance.
Franklin's support for the Constitution was also influenced by his desire to prevent the potential chaos that could arise from disunity. He referenced the story of the Builders of Babel, expressing his hope that the states would not end up "on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another's throats." Franklin's pragmatism and focus on the greater good guided his views on central government and contributed to the formation of the US Constitution.
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The role of George Washington
George Washington played a crucial role in the writing of the US Constitution and the formation of the American nation. While he is best remembered as the first president of the United States and the general who led American troops to victory during the American Revolution, his contributions as a political leader and constitution-maker are equally significant.
Washington was a strong advocate for the establishment of a powerful national government, even before the Revolution ended. He believed in the need for a strong central government and a united nation, as evidenced by his correspondence with friends, allies, and even political opponents. In a letter to James Madison in 1785, Washington expressed his concern about the lack of unity, stating, "We are either a United people, or we are not…".
Washington's leadership and commanding presence were instrumental in guiding the 55 state delegates who gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1787 to debate the future of the country. The delegates, comprising passionate federalists and anti-federalists, unanimously elected Washington as the president of the Constitutional Convention. He worked to forge consensus among the delegates, who were fiercely divided over the issues. Washington's influence and respect helped achieve agreement on the Constitution, with James Monroe stating in a letter to Thomas Jefferson that "Washington's influence carried the government."
Washington rarely spoke during the debates, as he was the presiding officer. However, his presence and support for a strong national government influenced the delegates, who assumed he would become the first president under the new Constitution. This encouraged them to propose broad powers for the executive branch. Washington's achievements as commander-in-chief during the Revolution and his subsequent role in transforming the ideals of the Revolution into reality through the Constitution further solidified his impact on the nation's constitutional legacy.
In summary, George Washington's role in the writing of the US Constitution was significant. He provided guidance and leadership to the delegates, worked to build consensus, and influenced the direction of the country toward a stronger central government. His influence and respect among the delegates were crucial in achieving agreement on the Constitution, which laid the foundation for the American nation.
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The slavery debate
The US Constitution did not expressly use the words "slave" or "slavery" but included several provisions about unfree persons. The Founding Fathers, such as James Madison, criticized slavery, and Madison attacked it early in the convention, stating:
> We have seen the mere distinction of colour made in the most enlightened period of time, a ground of the most oppressive dominion ever exercised by man over man.
Another Virginian, George Mason, feared that slavery brought down "the judgment of heaven on a country." Despite this, slavery received important protections in the Constitution. The Three-Fifths Clause in Article I, Section 2, purportedly meant that slaves were considered less than fully human. It was a compromise when creating Congress and determining how slaves were counted for representation and taxation. Some have argued that it gave greater power to the southern states, but Frederick Douglass believed that it encouraged freedom because it gave "an increase of 'two-fifths' of political power to free over slave states."
The second clause, known as the Importation Clause, stated that Congress could not ban the slave trade for 20 years. On the 200th anniversary of the ratification of the US Constitution, Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to sit on the Supreme Court, said that the document was "defective from the start." He pointed out that the framers left out a majority of Americans when they wrote the phrase "We the People."
Abraham Lincoln contended that the American Founding and its Constitution put slavery "in the course of ultimate extinction." In his State of the Union message to Congress on December 1, 1862, Lincoln presented a plan for "gradual emancipation and deportation" of slaves. This plan envisioned three amendments to the Constitution. The first would have required the states to abolish slavery by January 1, 1900. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation then freed slaves in January 1863, but it did not affect the border states that had remained loyal to the Union.
In the final years of the Civil War, Union lawmakers debated various proposals for Reconstruction. The Thirteenth Amendment has rarely been cited in case law, but it has been used to strike down peonage and some race-based discrimination as "badges and incidents of slavery." It has also been invoked to empower Congress to make laws against modern forms of slavery, such as sex trafficking.
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Frequently asked questions
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and George Washington were all involved in the writing of the US Constitution. Hamilton kept personal notebooks in which he studied the ideas of European economists and copied ideas about government and economics. Madison kept a detailed account of the convention debates, which his widow sold to the federal government in 1837. Washington was unanimously elected president of the Constitutional Convention.
The delegates involved in writing the US Constitution included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut, Gouverneur Morris of New York, and Rufus King of Massachusetts.
A key debate during the writing of the US Constitution was the issue of slavery. Although some northern states had already outlawed slavery, they agreed with the southern states' insistence that slavery should be decided by individual states and kept out of the Constitution. Another controversial topic was the federal assumption of state debts.
The outcome of the US Constitutional Convention was the creation of a new Constitution and a new government. The final text of the Constitution was drafted by a five-member Committee of Style and consisted of approximately 4,200 words. The original Constitution is now on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
The US Constitution defined the framework of the Federal Government and established three branches of national government: executive, legislative, and judicial. It also included the Bill of Rights, which defined the rights of citizens and states in relation to the government.
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