Constitution Hall Pass The 1787 Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787.[1] While the convention was initially intended to revise the league of states and the first system of federal government under... Delegates elected George Washington of Virginia, former commanding general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and a proponent of a stronger national government, to serve as president of the convention. While the Constitutional Convention has been the only Federal one,[3] the fifty states have held 233 constitutional conventions.[4] The convention ultimately debated and ratified the Constitution of the United States, making the convention one... The convention took place in Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in Philadelphia. The convention was not referred to as a constitutional convention. It was contemporarily known as the Federal Convention,[5] the Philadelphia Convention,[5] or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia.[6][7] Most delegates did not arrive intending to draft a new constitution.

Many assumed that the convention's purpose was to discuss and draft improvements to the existing Articles of Confederation, and would not have agreed to participate otherwise. Once the convention began, however, most of the delegates – though not all – came to agree in general terms that the goal would be a new system of government, not simply a revised... Several broad outlines were proposed and debated, notably Madison's Virginia Plan and William Paterson's New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan was selected as the basis for the new government, and the delegates quickly reached consensus on a general blueprint of a federal government which has three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial)... However, disagreement over the specific design and powers of the branches delayed progress for weeks and threatened the success of the convention. The most contentious disputes involved the legislature, specifically the composition and election procedures for the Senate as the upper legislative house of a bicameral Congress, and whether proportional representation[a] was to be defined by...

The role of the executive was also hotly debated, including the key issues of whether to divide the executive power among three people or vest the power in a single chief executive to be... Slavery was also a highly contentious issue, with delegates debating the inclusion of a fugitive slave clause, the potential abolition of the slave trade, and whether enslaved individuals should be counted for purposes of... A significant portion of the Convention's time was devoted to resolving these matters. Progress was slow until mid-July, when the Connecticut Compromise resolved enough lingering arguments for a draft written by the Committee of Detail to gain acceptance. Though more modifications and compromises were made over the following weeks, most of this draft can be found in the finished version of the Constitution. After several more issues were debated and resolved, the Committee of Style produced the final version in early September.

It was voted on by the delegates, inscribed on parchment by Jacob Shallus with engraving for printing, and signed by 39 of 55 delegates on September 17, 1787. The completed proposed Constitution was printed in several copies for review which began the debates and ratification process. Soon after, it was also printed in newspapers for public review. The United States Constitution has become the primary text of America’s civil religion. As a nation lacking a common religion, “We the People” have come to worship our Constitution as the scripture that holds us together. In virtually all of the public opinion polls conducted on the subject, Americans not only express their reverence for the Constitution, but also their strong opinions about its meaning.

Indeed, many Americans—whether Tea Party members, left-wing critics of growing inequality in America, Democrats or Republicans in Congress, and (with particular impact) justices of the United States Supreme Court—feel so passionately about our founding... (In one recent survey, for example, 71 percent of Americans believed that the phrase “all men are created equal” appeared in the Constitution, not in the Declaration of the Independence. Even more amazing, in another poll, a third of American expressed the belief that the Declaration of Independence was written after the Civil War!) This brief, introductory essay on the “Interactive Constitution” will focus on the efforts of the fifty-five men who gathered in Philadelphia in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House (much later to be... But it is impossible to begin even a brief essay on the Constitution and the Founding Fathers of 1787 without saying a few words about the document, drafted eleven years earlier, without which Americans... The Beginning of an “American Identity.”

America’s Declaration of Independence, drafted by the young but rapidly-rising revolutionary leader Thomas Jefferson, and adopted by the revolutionary Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, marks the first attempt by the “united States” of... Included in the opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence is perhaps the most important statement of American ideals ever articulated: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of... That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles... Discover the intricate process, key debates, and essential compromises that led to the creation of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.

The Constitutional Convention convened in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787, from May 25 to September 17, at the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall). Its initial purpose was to address weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation, the nation’s governing document since 1781. Though intended for revision, the proceedings ultimately created an entirely new framework for national governance. Fifty-five delegates from twelve of the thirteen states attended the convention; Rhode Island was the sole absentee. This group included figures like James Madison, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin, whose experience shaped discussions. To foster open debate, delegates adopted a strict rule of secrecy.

This ensured deliberations occurred without external pressure, allowing delegates freedom to change positions as arguments evolved. Two distinct proposals emerged early in the convention, shaping debate over the new government’s structure. The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and presented by Edmund Randolph, advocated a strong national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. It featured a bicameral legislature with proportional representation, favoring larger states. In response, William Paterson introduced the New Jersey Plan, which sought to revise the Articles of Confederation rather than replace them. This proposal favored a unicameral legislature with equal state representation, preserving more power for individual states and limiting national authority.

These plans highlighted the differing interests between large and small states. The differing proposals led to contention, particularly regarding state representation. The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, resolved the debate between large and small states. This agreement established a bicameral legislature: a House of Representatives with proportional representation based on population, and a Senate with equal representation (two senators per state). This balanced the interests of both populous and less populous states. Many felt that the Continental Congress was too weak to resolve problems such as the mounting national debt and conflicts between the states.

The Congress reluctantly called for a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation. The Constitutional Convention met at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pa. from May 25 to September 17, 1787. Every state except Rhode Island sent delegates--mostly well to do members of the states' political establishments. Fearing that the proceedings would spark public debate, the delegates stationed armed sentinels at the doors and held the sessions in secrecy. In the end, they created a new form of government, with three branches and checks and balances among them.

Only the vaguest notion of the American presidency emerged from these proceedings; those who followed would have to make this new institution work. The Constitutional Convention was held at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 25 May to 17 September 1787. Spurred on by economic troubles left over from the American Revolution and compounded by the weak Articles of Confederation, delegates from twelve states met to draft a new framework of governance, the United States... The Constitutional Convention was called in May of 1787 to make revisions to the Articles of Confederation. George Washington was immediately named the convention's president. The articles had been shown since their adoption to be very weak.

It was soon decided that instead of revising the articles, an entirely new government needed to be created for the United States. A proposal was adopted on May 30 that stated in part, "...that a national government ought to be established consisting of a supreme Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary." With this proposal, writing began on a... The meeting of the Constitutional Convention began on May 25, 1787. Delegates met on 89 of the 116 days between May 25 and their final meeting on September 17, 1787. The meetings took place at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Twelve of the 13 original states participated by sending delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

The only state that did not participate was Rhode Island, as it was against the idea of a stronger federal government. Further, New Hampshire delegates did not reach Philadelphia and participate until July 1787. There were 55 delegates who attended the convention. The most well-known attendees for each state were:

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