The Constitution And The First Elected President

The United States Constitution, the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution, was drafted in 1787 by delegates from 12 of the 13 original states at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. George Washington was unanimously elected president of the convention, and the document was signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present. The first written constitution of an independent polity that was adopted by representatives elected by the people was the 1755 Corsican Constitution. The US Constitution was not ratified by all states until 1790, and the Bill of Rights was not ratified until the end of that year. The nation's first presidential election was held in 1789, with George Washington elected president and John Adams vice president.

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General George Washington was elected president of the Philadelphia convention

The United States Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in the world. The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, also known as the Philadelphia Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787.

General George Washington was unanimously elected president of the Philadelphia Convention on May 25, 1787. Washington was persuaded to attend the convention and was nominated by Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, the "financier" of the Revolution. With characteristic modesty, Washington expressed his embarrassment at his lack of qualifications to preside over such a body and apologized for any errors he might make during the deliberations. However, his presence gave hope to many of those assembled, including the 36-year-old delegate from Virginia, James Madison.

Washington, a former commander-in-chief of the American Revolutionary Army, was a practical military leader who played a leading part in Virginia's struggles against British rule. He was a political leader in Virginia and was elected to the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775. After the fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, in April 1775, Congress appointed him commander-in-chief of the American forces on June 15, 1775. Washington soon departed Philadelphia to take command of the main American army encircling the British forces in Boston.

During the Constitutional Convention, Washington observed the delegates' arguments from an elevated platform. He believed that a thorough reform of the present system was indispensable and supported a revision of the national government. He addressed concerns about the future of the government and emphasized the need for a stronger federal government to benefit the American people. He was also satisfied with the idea that the Constitution could be amended over time.

Washington went on to become the first president of the United States under its new constitution. As president, he performed many "firsts," including the appointment of federal officials. He nominated the first members of the Supreme Court and other federal judicial officials.

The Constitutional Convention assembled in Philadelphia

The convention was also attended by prominent figures such as James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York, who were proponents of creating a new frame of government rather than revising the existing one. Madison, in particular, arrived in Philadelphia eleven days early and was determined to set the convention's agenda. He had studied historical republics and confederacies, such as ancient Greece and contemporary Switzerland, and drafted a document titled "Vices of the Political System of the United States," which offered solutions to the weaknesses of the American political system.

The Constitutional Convention was not referred to as such at the time. Instead, it was known as the Federal Convention, the Philadelphia Convention, or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia. The convention was marked by nearly four months of debate, disagreement, and occasional outbursts of ill temper. Despite these challenges, the delegates, including the oldest delegate, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, managed to create a system of government that approached perfection in Franklin's view.

The Constitutional Convention ultimately debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, making it one of the most significant events in American history. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution still in force in the world. The Constitution's main provisions include seven articles that define the basic framework of the federal government, including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

The Committee of Detail was elected to draft a detailed constitution

The United States Constitution was written at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The Convention elected a Committee of Detail to draft a detailed constitution, which the Committee presented to the Convention on August 6, 1787.

The Committee of Detail included five members: John Rutledge of South Carolina, Edmund Randolph of Virginia, Nathaniel Gorham of Massachusetts, Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut, and James Wilson of Pennsylvania. These men were among the most respected and influential delegates at the Convention, and they played a crucial role in shaping the final document.

The Committee of Detail was tasked with taking the notes, resolutions, and outlines produced by the Convention and transforming them into a coherent, workable constitution. They worked for several weeks, carefully crafting and refining the language of the document to ensure it accurately reflected the agreements and decisions made by the Convention.

The result of their efforts was a document that consisted of 23 articles, organised into sections covering areas such as the powers and responsibilities of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, the relationship between the federal government and the states, and the protection of fundamental rights and liberties.

While the Committee of Detail played a crucial role in drafting the Constitution, their work was not the final word. The document they produced was presented back to the full Convention, where it was debated, amended, and revised over several weeks. This process resulted in the final version of the Constitution, which was signed by 39 delegates on September 17, 1787.

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The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware

The U.S. Constitution is the oldest and longest-standing written and codified national constitution in force in the world. The drafting of the Constitution, often referred to as its framing, was completed at the Constitutional Convention, which assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787. Delegates to the convention were chosen by the state legislatures of 12 of the 13 original states; Rhode Island refused to send delegates. The convention's initial mandate was to amend the Articles of Confederation, which had proven ineffective in meeting the young nation's needs. However, the delegates ultimately proposed and created a completely new form of government.

On September 17, 1787, 38 or 39 out of 41 delegates present signed the new U.S. Constitution. Under Article VII, the document would only become binding once it was ratified by nine of the 13 existing states. Hamilton and James Madison led the lobbying efforts for votes in favour of ratifying the Constitution. With assistance from John Jay, they produced and published the 85 essays known as "The Federalist Papers" that explained and defended how the proposed new government would function.

After the ratification, Congress set the dates for the first federal elections, which were held from December 15, 1788, to January 10, 1789. In the nation's first presidential election, George Washington was elected President, and John Adams was elected Vice President.

George Washington was elected as the first US president

The US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 38 out of 41 delegates present. The first US presidential election was held from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday, January 10, 1789, and George Washington was elected as the first US president.

George Washington was a revolutionary leader who, along with other leaders like Benjamin Franklin and Rufus King, feared that their young country was on the brink of collapse. Washington was also elected unanimously as the president of the Philadelphia convention, which was held on May 25, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation. The convention was attended by delegates from 12 of the 13 original states, with Rhode Island refusing to send delegates. The delegates proposed a bicameral (two-house) Congress that would be elected based on state population, an elected chief executive, and an appointed judicial branch.

The Philadelphia convention was followed by a Committee of Detail, which included delegates from South Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. This committee was tasked with drafting a detailed constitution that reflected the resolutions passed by the convention. The committee's report added some new elements to the resolutions and was discussed in detail from August 6 to September 10.

The Constitution was ratified by nine of the 13 states, with Delaware being the first state to do so on December 7, 1787, followed by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut. The Constitution became the official framework of the US government on June 21, 1788, when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. The first federal elections were held soon after, and George Washington was elected as the first US president.

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