Overview. Between May and September 1787, delegates from 12 states convened in Philadelphia
to revise the Articles of Confederation
, which had proven insufficient to cope with the challenges facing the young nation.
Why was there a new constitution 1787?
Why was the Constitution written? In 1787,
Congress authorized delegates to gather in Philadelphia and recommend changes to the existing charter of government for the 13 states, the Articles of Confederation
, which many Americans believed had created a weak, ineffective central government.
Why did delegates meet a new constitution in 1787?
The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia met between May and September of 1787
to address the problems of the weak central government that existed under the Articles of Confederation
.
Why did delegates from most states initially meet in Philadelphia in 1787?
Delegates met in Philadelphia in 1787
to revise the Articles of Confederation
.
What was one thing all the delegates had in common?
Despite their differences, the delegates did have one thing in common:
they were educated men
. They had studied history and great political philosophers such as Locke and Montesquieu.
Which state did not send delegates to the Constitution?
Rhode Island
was the only state not to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
Who actually wrote the Constitution?
James Madison
is known as the Father of the Constitution because of his pivotal role in the document's drafting as well as its ratification. Madison also drafted the first 10 amendments — the Bill of Rights.
Can the Constitution be changed?
Article V of the Constitution provides two ways to propose amendments to the document. Amendments may be proposed either
by the Congress
, through a joint resolution passed by a two-thirds vote, or by a convention called by Congress in response to applications from two-thirds of the state legislatures.
What are the first 3 words of the Constitution?
Its first three words – “
We The People
” – affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens.
How many delegates came to the meeting?
In all,
55 delegates
attended the Constitutional Convention sessions, but only 39 actually signed the Constitution. The delegates ranged in age from Jonathan Dayton, aged 26, to Benjamin Franklin, aged 81, who was so infirm that he had to be carried to sessions in a sedan chair.
What was the goal of the delegates?
Delegates from each of the Thirteen Colonies met in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776 to decide the case for liberty. The goal was
to convince the States that the time had come for the United Colonies to declare their independence from Mother England.
What did the delegates primarily want?
Although the Convention had been officially called to revise the existing Articles of Confederation, many delegates had much bigger plans. Men like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton wanted
to create a new government
rather than fix the existing one.
What did the delegates disagree on?
How did the delegates disagree about representation in Congress? Delegates from
larger states wanted the number of representatives that a state would have in both houses of Congress to be based on that state's population
. States with more people would have more votes in Congress. Smaller states disagreed.
What did the delegates disagree with over most?
All the delegates believed that government had to protect peoples' rights to liberty and equality, and that a republic was the best form of government. They disagreed about
which people were entitled to vote and to hold office
.
Who were the delegates of the constitution?
The delegates included many of the leading figures of the period. Among them were George Washington, who was elected to preside,
James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, James Wilson, John Rutledge, Charles Pinckney, Oliver Ellsworth, and Gouverneur Morris
.
What 2 founding fathers never signed the Constitution?
Three Founders—
Elbridge Gerry, George Mason, and Edmund Randolph
—refused to sign the Constitution, unhappy with the final document for various reasons including a lack of a Bill of Rights.
