What Happened At The Constitutional Convention Legalclarity

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. An official website of the United States government Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. This look at the Constitutional Convention provides a glimpse into the debates that resulted in an enduring framework of government.

Read day-by-day entries recording the proposals, conflicts and compromises as the men struggled to live up to the resolution that had called them to Philadelphia to "render the constitution of the Federal Government adequate... The entries begin on May 13, 1787, with the arrival of George Washington in Philadelphia and conclude on September 17, 1787, with the signing of the United States Constitution. The synopsis of each day's debates coupled with the words of James Madison, George Mason, Benjamin Franklin and others, provide an understanding of the sense of urgency and necessity motivating the men through a... 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.

What happened at the Constitutional Convention? Who was there? Check out our Day-by-Day Summary! When the 55 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, there were several major issues on the agenda to discuss including representation, state versus federal powers, executive power, slavery, and commerce. Large and small states fought over representation in Congress. Large states favored representation by population, while small states argued for equal representation by State.

The "Great Compromise" allowed for both by establishing the House of Representatives, which was apportioned by populations, and the Senate which represented the states equally. A central issue at the Convention was whether the federal government or the states would have more power. Many delegates believed that the federal government should be able to overrule state laws, but others feared that a strong federal government would oppress their citizens. The delegates compromised by allotting specific responsibilities to the federal government while delegating all other functions to the states. The Articles of Confederation was the original governing document of the United States. The Continental Congress adopted it in 1777 during the Revolutionary War, before the U.S.

officially became a country. The Articles of Confederation combined a weak national government with strong state governments. The national government could not tax, enforce the laws it passed, or regulate commerce. These and other weaknesses—and an increased national feeling—led to the necessity of the Constitutional Convention, which met from May to September 1787. The U.S. Constitution, produced after the Constitutional Convention and ultimately ratified by all 13 states in 1789, is sometimes called a "bundle of compromises" because delegates had to give ground on numerous key points to create...

Here are five key compromises that helped make the U.S. Constitution a reality. The Articles of Confederation under which the United States operated from 1781 to 1787 provided that each state would be represented by one vote in Congress. During the creation of the new Constitution, two plans emerged to deal with state representation. The Virginia Plan provided representation based on each state's population, while the Jersey Plan proposed equal representation for every state. The Great Compromise, also called the Connecticut Compromise, combined both plans.

Signing of the Constitution, Howard Chandler Christy, 1940. Image Source: Architect of the Capitol. The Constitutional Convention and Debates over Ratification is Topic 3.8 of the AP US History curriculum. This topic covers the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the major issues and compromises that led to the development of the United States Constitution. By 1787, only four years after the official end of the American Revolutionary War, many Americans were convinced that the new nation could not survive under the weak central government established by the Articles... Following two previous attempts to address growing concerns about the state of the nation — the Mount Vernon Conference (1785) and the Annapolis Convention (1786) — delegates from 12 of the 13 states assembled...

However, the delegates soon developed other ideas and instead undertook the task of drafting an entirely new document. Throughout a summer of heated debate and enlightened compromise between Federalists and Anti-Federalists, the delegates drafted a new Constitution that did far more than strengthen the authority of the central government. Learn how foundational compromises forged the U.S. Constitution, navigating profound disagreements among its framers. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which had proven inadequate for governing the new United States. Delegates gathered to design a more effective framework for national governance.

These representatives arrived with diverse interests and conflicting visions for the new government’s structure and powers. The convention’s success, and the future of the union, depended on the delegates’ capacity to bridge these divides through negotiation and compromise. A central point of contention at the Constitutional Convention revolved around legislative representation. Large states advocated for proportional representation, where a state’s population determined its number of representatives, as proposed in the Virginia Plan. Smaller states championed equal representation for each state, regardless of population, a concept central to the New Jersey Plan. This disagreement threatened to derail the convention.

The resolution came as the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise. This agreement established a bicameral, or two-house, legislature for Congress. The House of Representatives would feature proportional representation, with representatives based on state population. In contrast, the Senate would provide equal representation, granting each state two senators, balancing the interests of both populous and less populous states. Another debate emerged concerning how enslaved individuals should be counted for governmental purposes. Southern states desired to count their enslaved populations fully for representation in the House of Representatives, increasing their political power.

However, they opposed counting them for direct taxation. Northern states argued against counting enslaved people for representation, viewing them as property, but supported counting them for taxation. As of 2024, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 remains a pivotal moment in American history. The concerns surrounding the Articles of Confederation, the intense debates over representation, the crafting of compromises, and the eventual signing of the United States Constitution all played a crucial role in shaping the nation’s... Let’s delve into the key events and decisions that transpired during the Constitutional Convention. Just a few years post the Revolutionary War, prominent figures like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington grew apprehensive about the state of the young nation.

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