Constitution Drafted: Philadelphia Delegates Forge New Republic
Fifty-five delegates from twelve states convened at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787, ostensibly to revise the Articles of Confederation. George Washington presided. Within days, the delegates abandoned revision in favor of creating an entirely new framework of government. The Constitutional Convention lasted four months, during which delegates debated fundamental questions: how to balance power between large and small states (resolved by the Great Compromise creating a bicameral legislature), how to count enslaved people for representation (the Three-Fifths Compromise), and how much power to give the executive branch. The resulting Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, by 39 of the 55 delegates. Three delegates, including George Mason, refused to sign because it lacked a bill of rights.
May 14, 1787
239 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on May 14
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