3.1 The Road to the Constitution

1. 1787 – many states disagreed w/Articles of

Confederation - 55 delegates from 12 states

gathered in Philadelphia -7 were governors and 41

were member of Continental Congress

-Rhode Island opposed a strong central government and did not attend

-most men were well-educated politicians -delegates became members of

Congress, Supreme Court Justices, and Washington and Madison became president

2. George Washington - chosen to head the conference

-appointed a committee to set rules -delegates from at least 7 states

had to be present for a meeting to be held

-majority rules

-discussions were kept secret

-no formal records

-able to have free discussions

-most information came from James Madison’s notebook

3.Delegates - Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate, 81

- from PA - diplomat, writer, scientist, and

inventor -Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

did not attend , they were in Europe -Patrick Henry was against the

Convention

4. Constitutional Convention – was to revise Articles of

Confederation - wrote a new plan of government -Constitution