Isabella Carter
The United States Constitution was drafted and signed in Philadelphia in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. The Constitutional Convention, which took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787, culminated in the signing of the final draft of the Constitution by 39 delegates representing 12 states. The drafting process involved a committee of detail that produced a draft Constitution, which was then discussed and revised by the Convention. Gouverneur Morris, often referred to as the penman of the Constitution, played a significant role in finalizing the document. The Constitution was ratified on June 21, 1788, marking a pivotal moment in the establishment of a new form of government for the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the first draft | August 6, 1787 |
| Date of the final draft | September 17, 1787 |
| Number of articles in the first draft | 23 |
| Number of articles in the final draft | 7 |
| Number of signers | 39 |
| Number of non-signers | 3 |
| Number of states ratifying the constitution | 11 |
| Number of amendments approved by the Senate | 12 |
| Number of amendments ratified | 10 |
| Number of proposed amendments approved by Congress for submission to the states | 37 |
| Number of states needed to approve the constitution | 9 |
| Number of states with a pro-constitution majority | 6 |
| Number of delegates | 55 |
| Number of delegates present on the day of signing | 41 |
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What You'll Learn
The Committee of Detail
The first draft of the Constitution was an article-by-article model from which the final document would result five weeks later. The convention accepted the draft and then considered the various sections, clause by clause. Further compromises were effected, and the convention agreed that direct taxation be according to representation and that the representation of the lower house be based on the white inhabitants and three-fifths of the "other people."
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Drafting begins
The drafting of the United States Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention first met at the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was 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 lacked enforcement powers, the ability to regulate commerce, and the ability to print money. The states' disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
The Constitutional Convention was ready to commit its resolutions to writing on July 26, 1787, after two months of fierce debate over the structure and powers of a new federal government. The convention appointed a "committee of detail" to draft a written constitution and adjourned until August 6. The committee first studied the Convention's resolutions, state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, and other applicable reports and documents. Edmund Randolph of Virginia wrote out a rough draft of a constitution, which James Wilson revised. The committee reviewed it, and a clean copy was sent to prominent Philadelphia printers John Dunlap and David Claypoole. The printers were instructed to print just enough copies for use by the delegates, and the draft was kept secret to avoid controversy.
On August 6, 1787, the convention accepted the first draft of the Constitution. This draft served as the basis for the final document, which was produced five weeks later. As the members began to consider the various sections, the willingness to compromise that had been present in previous days disappeared. The most serious controversy erupted over the question of the regulation of commerce. The southern states, exporters of raw materials, rice, indigo, and tobacco, feared that a New England-dominated Congress might severely damage the South's economic life through export taxes. On August 21, the debate over commerce became closely linked to another explosive issue: slavery.
On September 8, a Committee of Style and Arrangement, including Alexander Hamilton from New York, William Samuel Johnson from Connecticut, Rufus King from Massachusetts, James Madison from Virginia, and Gouverneur Morris from Pennsylvania, was appointed to distill a final draft constitution from the 23 approved articles. Morris, later known as the "penman of the Constitution," did most of the work. The final draft, presented to the convention on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The committee also presented a proposed letter to accompany the constitution when delivered to Congress.
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The first draft
The drafting of the United States Constitution began on May 25, 1787, when the Constitutional Convention first met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had been America's first constitution. However, the Articles of Confederation had several flaws, including the lack of a separate executive or judicial branch, and the inability to regulate commerce or print money.
Recognizing these issues, the convention soon abandoned the Articles, opting to draft a new constitution with a much stronger national government. On July 26, 1787, after two months of fierce debate, the convention appointed a "'committee of detail'" to draft a written constitution. This committee first studied the Convention's resolutions, state constitutions, the Articles of Confederation, and other relevant documents. Edmund Randolph of Virginia then wrote a rough draft, which James Wilson revised.
On August 6, 1787, the convention accepted the first draft of the Constitution, which was an article-by-article model. Over the next five weeks, the members considered the various sections, and several controversies erupted, including debates over the regulation of commerce and slavery. The committee's draft was then discussed, section by section, and further compromises were made.
On September 8, a Committee of Style and Arrangement, including Alexander Hamilton, William Samuel Johnson, Rufus King, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris, was appointed to create a final draft constitution from the 23 approved articles. Morris, later known as the "penman of the Constitution," did most of the work. The final draft, presented on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The final document was engrossed by Jacob Shallus and taken up on September 17, at the convention's final session.
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Committee of Style and Arrangement
The Committee of Style and Arrangement was formed towards the end of the Constitutional Convention, which first met on May 25, 1787, at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Committee was tasked with distilling a final draft constitution from the 23 approved articles.
The Committee of Style and Arrangement was composed of five members: Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris. Morris, a delegate from Pennsylvania, was assigned the task of drafting the final document. The final draft, presented to the convention on September 12, contained seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. The committee also presented a proposed letter to accompany the constitution when delivered to Congress.
Gouverneur Morris was a talented speaker and writer, and he had deep experience as a constitutional drafter, having been one of the three principal authors of the New York Constitution. As the drafter for the Committee of Style, Morris made a series of subtle changes that his fellow delegates did not notice or considered stylistic. These changes advanced his constitutional vision and became central to many constitutional debates in the early republic.
The final document, engrossed by Jacob Shallus, was taken up on September 17, at the convention's final session. The draft Constitution received the unanimous approval of the state delegations, and thirty-nine delegates from twelve states signed it. The ratification process for the Constitution began that day and ended when the final state, Rhode Island, ratified it on May 29, 1790.
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Signing the Constitution
The signing of the United States Constitution took place on September 17, 1787, at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitutional Convention, which had been in session for four months, culminated in 39 delegates from 12 states endorsing the Constitution. This signing marked the conclusion of a process that began on May 25, 1787, when the Convention first assembled to revise the Articles of Confederation.
The final draft of the Constitution was presented to the Convention on September 12, 1787, by the Committee of Style and Arrangement, which included prominent figures such as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris. The committee distilled the 23 approved articles into a cohesive document consisting of seven articles, a preamble, and a closing endorsement. Benjamin Franklin, despite his reservations about certain parts of the Constitution, played a pivotal role in rallying support for its signing.
The signing ceremony itself was a significant event. Of the 74 delegates chosen, 55 attended, and 39 signed the document. Three delegates, Edmund Randolph, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry, declined to sign, citing their objections to the final version. The signatures were grouped by state, with the states arranged geographically from north to south. George Washington, as president of the convention, signed first, followed by the other delegates in strict congressional voting order.
The signing of the Constitution was a pivotal moment in American history, marking the adoption of a new form of republican government that replaced the weak central government established by the Articles of Confederation. It represented a cross-section of 18th-century American leadership, with signatories including those who had served in the American Revolution, signed the Declaration of Independence, or held military and government positions. The Constitution laid out the framework for the nation's federal government and delineated the functioning of its three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
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Frequently asked questions
Gouverneur Morris was the primary author of the final draft of the U.S. Constitution.
The Committee of Style and Arrangement, composed of Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, James Madison, and Gouverneur Morris, was selected to distill a final draft constitution from the twenty-three approved articles.
The Constitutional Convention was called to revise the Articles of Confederation, which was America's first constitution.
The U.S. Constitution was drafted from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
39 delegates from 12 states signed the Constitution.
