US Constitutional Convention

Setting the scene

The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787, to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The Articles, ratified in 1781, had created a weak central government that could not tax, regulate commerce, or enforce laws. By 1786, the nation faced economic crisis, interstate disputes, and Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts, which exposed the government's inability to maintain order. Twelve states (Rhode Island abstained) sent 55 delegates, including George Washington (elected president of the convention), James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin.

What happened

The convention quickly abandoned amending the Articles and instead drafted a new constitution. Major compromises shaped the document: the Great Compromise created a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal state representation in the Senate; the Three-Fifths Compromise counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation; the Commerce Compromise allowed Congress to regulate trade but prohibited export taxes; and the Electoral College was created to select the president. The convention met in secret to allow frank debate.

Why it still matters

The Constitution, signed September 17, 1787, created a federal system with separation of powers among three branches and checks and balances. It was sent to states for ratification, requiring nine of thirteen. Ratification was contentious—Federalists (Hamilton, Madison, Jay) argued for it in The Federalist Papers, while Anti-Federalists feared centralized power. Ratification succeeded in 1788 after promise of a Bill of Rights. The Constitution, the world's oldest written national constitution still in use, established the framework of American government, balancing liberty and order, federal and state power, in a system that has endured for over 230 years.

Background

The Constitution created new national institutions.