Who came to the Constitutional Convention with a clear vision for the new government

In 1787, George Washington was persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention and subsequently was unanimously elected its president. The Convention (also known as the Philadelphia Convention, the Federal Convention, or the Grand Convention at Philadelphia) met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from May 14 to September 17. Delegates gathered to correct the various problems that had arisen while the newly-independent nation was operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Great Britain. The historic result of the Convention was the crafting of the United States Constitution.

Washington also realized that many citizens suspected the Convention would be merely a seizure of power from the states by an all-powerful, quasi-royal central government. Further, Washington initially refused to attend because he suspected that he would be made the Convention's leader, and probably be proposed as the nation's first chief executive. Washington did not want to be perceived as grasping for power, and active participation in the Convention—with its implied Presidential caveat—could have been perceived as such by the public. As a proud man, Washington was protective of the reputation earned with his War service and was loathe to diminish it.

James Madison and General Henry Knox, however, were eventually able to persuade Washington to attend the Convention. As strong believers in a more national system of government, each believed that Washington needed to play a central role because of the great trust and respect he had accumulated during the War. With Madison's skillful personal courting, Washington agreed to attend. 

The Convention met in Independence Hall through a typically hot and steamy Philadelphia summer. The delegates' sweltering was heightened by their decision to meet in secret and to seal the windows shut. As the delegates argued Washington observed, while sitting on a tall wooden chair on an elevated platform in front. Wearing his old military uniform, Washington participated little in the debates, seeing his function as nonpartisan, to maintain or restore order when debate became too boisterous. The role perfectly fit Washington's dignified, discreet nature. Washington intervened infrequently, and mostly to vote for or against the various proposed articles. When not in session, Washington toured the city accompanied by his enslaved workers. To avoid the crowds' emotions and staring, he often ventured out early in the morning.

While the Convention was intended merely to revise the Articles of Confederation, the objective of its leaders was to create a new government. One vigorous debate surrounded whether the government's executive should be a single person or a board of three. Eventually, a clear majority voted for a single executive based on the knowledge that Washington would probably be the first President. As a result, the presidency was written with Washington's honor and patriotism in mind, permitting him to define more clearly the office once he was elected. After the Convention, Washington's strong support convinced many to vote in favor of ratification.

William P. Kladky, Ph.D.

Bibliography:

Chernow, Ron. Washington: A Life. New York, NY: Penguin, 2010.

Beeman, Richard. Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution. New York, NY: Random House, 2009.

Ferling, John. The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon. New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2009.

The four months in Philadelphia during the Constitutional Convention were fiery and intense.

55 delegates had come together to make small changes to their current government and ended up creating a new one. As Washington sat above this group, observing the chaos, there were five other players that had key roles in the creation of the Constitution. Each of these men brought specific ideas about the role of government in the new nation.  In the end, parts of each individual's ideas were taken and put together to create the constitution. 

George Washington

Portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart

Delegate for: Virginia

Contribution: Having been elected unanimously as the president of the Constitutional Convention, Washington’s presence provided a sense of focus and direction. While he originally did not want to be involved with the creation of the Constitution, Washington certainly had a vision for a stronger union. By being present, he was able to oversee the debate and help make that vision a reality.

Biography of George Washington

James Madison

James Madison by John Vanderlyn (White House Historical Association)

Delegate for: Virginia

Contribution: Famously known as the “father of the Constitution”, James Madison was a driving force behind the convention. He came well prepared for all arguments against the creation of a new government. After the Constitution had been written and signed, Madison then wrote the Federalist Papers with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. These 85 essays explained the significance of the Constitution, in an effort to persuade states to ratify. Although the need for a bill of rights was advocated by George Mason, Madison also contributed to the Constitution by writing the first 10 amendments that were adopted by the first Congress.

Learn More About James Madison

George Mason

Portrait of George Mason by John Hesselius (Wikimedia)

Delegate for: Virginia

Contribution: Although he was one of only three delegates not to sign the Constitution, George Mason had a very unique role in its creation. He came to the convention deeply concerned with the amount of power being given to the federal government, and the convention’s unwillingness to end the slave trade.  Ultimately, Mason said  “I would sooner chop off my right hand” than sign the Constitution without a Bill of Rights. Even though he did not put ink to paper, Mason’s desire to have the freedoms and rights of the country’s citizens specifically stated were immortalized in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, referred to as the Bill of Rights.

Learn More About George Mason

Roger Sherman

Painting of Roger Sherman by Ralph Earl (Wikimedia)

Delegate for: Connecticut

Contribution: Credit for one of the core staples of the American government goes to Roger Sherman. He proposed the “Connecticut Compromise” also known as “the Great Compromise.”  While large states, like Virginia, advocated for legislative voting based solely on proportional representation, smaller states demanded equal representation of each state in the new congress.  Sherman’s compromise proposed that each state would be proportionally represented by population in the House of Representatives, and by an equal number of votes from each state in the Senate. Sherman was also the only founding father to have signed all major documents of the Revolutionary era: The Continental Association of 1774, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

William Paterson

Portrait of William Paterson during his time on the Supreme Court (Wikimedia)

Delegate for: New Jersey

Contribution: William Paterson helped to author the New Jersey Plan, which attempted to safeguard the rights of small states. In his plan, Paterson called for each state to have  equal representation in Congress. He opposed plans for proportional representation for fear that the interests of small states would be ignored.  In reference to proportional representation, Paterson wrote “I would rather submit to a Monarch, to a despot, than to such a fate.” He left the convention in late July, but returned to sign the Constitution in September when aspects of his proposal were included in the Connecticut compromise.

James Wilson

Founding Father James Wilson also served as Supreme court Justice (Wikimedia)

Delegate for: Pennsylvania

Contribution: James Wilson’s most notable contribution to the convention was his desire for a single executive, not a committee.  This individual would have absolute veto power to overturn laws created by the legislature.  Wilson also favored the direct election of the executive by the people of the United States.  Other delegates favored the election of the executive by Congress, and feared that an absolute veto would quickly lead to abuses of power. Arguments over Wilson’s position eventually led to compromises that included limited veto powers of the executive and the establishment of the electoral college.  In this compromise, between direct election by the people and the appointment of the president by Congress, the president would be chosen by a group of electors who were selected by the people of their state or the state legislatures.

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