The Constitutional Convention. The U.S. Constitution — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. By September 1787, the convention’s five-member Committee of Style (Hamilton, Madison, William Samuel Johnson of Connecticut, Gouverneur Morris of New York, Rufus King of Massachusetts) had drafted the final text of the Constitution, which consisted of some 4,200 words. On September 17, George Washington was the first to sign the document. Of the 55 delegates, a total of 39 signed; some had already left Philadelphia, and three–George Mason (1725-92) and Edmund Randolph (1753-1813) of Virginia, and Elbridge Gerry (1744-1813) of Massachusetts–refused to approve the document. In order for the Constitution to become law, it then had to be ratified by nine of the 13 states. James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, with assistance from John Jay, wrote a series of essays to persuade people to ratify the Constitution.
Beginning on December 7, 1787, five states–Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut–ratified the Constitution in quick succession. Creating the Constitution. "Nothing spoken or written can be revealed to anyone — not even your family — until we have adjourned permanently. Gossip or misunderstanding can easily ruin all the hard work we shall have to do this summer.
" -George Washington, presiding officer The Constitution was written in secrecy over a summer in Philadelphia. Twelve of the thirteen states were represented. Once the drafters signed the Constitution, as seen here, it began to make a slow path around the states in search of ratification. Constitutional Convention Most of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention had already risked being hanged as traitors by the British.
Persuading the states to accept the Constitution was every bit as difficult as they predicted. Separation of Powers The Constitution is the basis of the United States government. The Constitution provided for the structure and powers of Congress in Article I. Checks and Balances The Founders were ever mindful of the dangers of tyrannical government. Federalism. Creating the United States Constitution Constitution USA with Peter Sagal.