1787 Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was held in Philadelphia. It was convened for a very specific purpose, which was to revise the Articles of Confederation. These Articles were the nations first constitution, which somelike Hamilton and Madisonfound to be inadequate in establishing a strong central government. The Articles of Confederation had been more for states than for a federal government. Thus, as far as the national government went, its power was weak and the states were basically like independent countries. The Convention was called by the Congress of the Confederation to address the issues, like the Shays Rebellion, that were troubling the country. All thirteen states were invited to send delegates. However, Rhode Island chose not to participate, as it was opposed to any changes that would strengthen the central government. In total, 55 delegates attended. Notable attendees included George Washington, who was elected as the president of the Convention, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton. Other prominent figures of the time, such as ambassadors in Europe (Beeman, 2023).
The Convention debated various issues. One of the major points of contention was the representation of...
…by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay helped garner support for the ratification of the Constitution.Since its adoption, the Constitution has proven to be an effective framework for governing the United States. It has provided stability and flexibility, allowing the country to address various challenges and changes over the centuries. The system of checks and balances has made it so that no branch of government becomes too powerful (at least in theorybut in application this has been debated since Jefferson was president), and that the rights of citizens are protected. Still, the Constitutions overall strength shows that the framers understood what…
References
Beeman, R. (2023). The Constitutional Convention of 1787: A Revolution in Government.
Retrieved from https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/white-papers/the-constitutional-convention-of-1787-a-revolution-in-government
History. (2023). Constitutional Convention begins. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/constitutional-convention-begins
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