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Constitutional Convention (United States)

Explorer · ages 7 and underAdapted from Wikipedia
Historical painting showing George Washington leading the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention was a very important meeting in Philadelphia in 1787. It was where leaders from the Thirteen Colonies came together to create a new set of rules for the United States. Before this, the colonies used the Articles of Confederation, but they needed something stronger.

The leaders chose George Washington to guide the meeting. They worked hard to decide how the new government would look. They talked about many ideas, like how to organize the government and the role of the president.

After many discussions, they finished a draft of the Constitution of the United States. On September 17, 1787, 39 leaders signed the Constitution. This document became the important law that guides the United States even today.

The convention was held at a place called Independence Hall. The leaders kept their talks secret until they finished. James Madison wrote down many notes about what happened.

The Constitutional Convention helped shape the way America works. It brought together leaders from different states to create a fair and strong government for everyone.

Pictures

Portrait painting of Benjamin Franklin from 1785 by Joseph Siffrein Duplessis.
Historical map showing the states and territories of the United States from March to August 1789.
A historic building where important decisions shaping the United States were made.
A detailed view of the Rising Sun Chair from Independence Hall, where General George Washington sat during the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
A historical engraving portrait of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States.
Diagram of the Virginia Plan from the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787
A historical diagram showing the Pinckney Plan presented at the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787.
A diagram showing the New Jersey Plan presented at the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787.
A diagram showing the Hamilton Plan presented at the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787.
A historic US postage stamp showing delegates signing the US Constitution at Independence Hall.
The Syng inkstand, a historic item used when the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed, displayed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Portrait of Edmund Randolph, an important American statesman, painted by Constantino Brumidi.
Portrait of James Wilson, an important American judge from history.
Portrait of Roger Sherman (1721–1793), an important American statesman and founding father, painted by Ralph Earl.

Keep exploring

Philadelphia
Thirteen Colonies
George Washington
Constitution of the United States
Independence Hall

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Constitutional Convention (United States), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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