Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
The flaws with the Articles of Confederation became obvious even before it was ratified in 1781. Over time, people began to demand changes to improve the way that the government functioned and how it was structured.
The mounting criticism eventually led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It was held at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, the same place that the Declaration of Independence was signed. Fifty-five delegates came together on May 25, 1787 with a goal of improving the Articles of Confederation. All of the states were represented except for Rhode Island. As they started to work it soon became clear that they needed an entirely new constitution. Major problems involving taxation, currency, and conflicts between the states could not be addressed appropriately using the existing system.
One of the first tasks of the Constitution Convention was to select a leader. George Washington, a delegate from Virginia, was chosen to be the president of the Convention. Washington’s experiences during the Revolutionary War had taught him the need for reform. His underfunded army had oftentimes gone without food and warm clothing during the war- a result of states not contributing more funds to the war effort. The rest of the delegates were a mixture of prominent men from the various state legislatures or who had fought in the war. One man, James Madison of Virginia, would eventually become the principal author of the Constitution. Today he is referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.”
The delegates all came from states that were in the midst of creating their own state constitutions.
The mounting criticism eventually led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It was held at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, the same place that the Declaration of Independence was signed. Fifty-five delegates came together on May 25, 1787 with a goal of improving the Articles of Confederation. All of the states were represented except for Rhode Island. As they started to work it soon became clear that they needed an entirely new constitution. Major problems involving taxation, currency, and conflicts between the states could not be addressed appropriately using the existing system.
One of the first tasks of the Constitution Convention was to select a leader. George Washington, a delegate from Virginia, was chosen to be the president of the Convention. Washington’s experiences during the Revolutionary War had taught him the need for reform. His underfunded army had oftentimes gone without food and warm clothing during the war- a result of states not contributing more funds to the war effort. The rest of the delegates were a mixture of prominent men from the various state legislatures or who had fought in the war. One man, James Madison of Virginia, would eventually become the principal author of the Constitution. Today he is referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.”
The delegates all came from states that were in the midst of creating their own state constitutions.