What was the consitutional convention?

Answer 1

The Constitutional ConventionThe Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in 1787 and drafted the United States Constitution.

The convention was called because the federal government established by the Articles of Confederation was considered to be too weak to effectively deal with the states' issues. Officially, the purpose of the convention was to revise the Articles of Confederation. Many feel that this was a drastic understatement, and that the real goal of many of its key proponents was to replace the Articles of Confederation and create a strong federal government.

The result of the convention was the U.S. Constitution, which was signed by 38 delegates on the final day of the convention, and ratified by most of the states during the following year.

The key issues regarded Congressional representation and slavery. The "Great Compromise" was a bicameral legislature -- two houses of Congress where the states would have equal representation in the Senate, but proportional representation in the House of Representatives. Regarding slavery, Congress did not have the power to abolish slavery but would get the power to end the slave trade beginning in 1808. The three-fifths compromise meant that 3 of every 5 slaves would be counted when apportioning a state's representation in the House of Representatives.

George Washington was unanimously elected president of the convention. Benjamin Franklin was considered the sage of the convention, the elder statesman who helped calm tempers and bring about the compromises.

In the summer of 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, some of the most important decisions in the history of the United States were made. During this time, the Philadelphia (or Constitutional) Convention was held; a secret meeting that hosted 55 delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies (excluding Rhode Island) where they discussed and eventually derived the Constitution in order to replace the preceding Articles of Confederation because of their weakness of federal power. The Pennsylvania State House, currently known as Independence Hall, had become the center of debate for nearly four months.

In the summer of 1787, the Constitutional Convention hosted a committee of delegates from the 13 colonies appointed to write the constitution. Led by James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, this secret meeting took place in the Pennsylvania State House, currently known as Independence Hall. Delegates from all thirteen colonies were invited to this meeting to discuss the Articles of Confederation and how it could be strengthened. 55 delegates showed up, none from Rhode Island. Instead of following the original idea of strengthening the Articles of Confederation, the Philadelphia Convention quickly turned into a complete abandonment of the Articles and took up the creation of the Constitution.

Answer 2

A meeting of delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation.