United States of America
A few great Americans living in the 1700s worked very hard writing a Constitution for our new country, and only a few months later, their mission was accomplished. This document has guided the United States in, war and peace, for more than 200 years. Many Americans have never taken the time to read it and many more don’t have a clue how it was written and established.
I did the research and typed it with two fingers, I hope you will take a few minutes and read how it happened. You will be a better American if you do. It would be difficult to find these high caliber men today that would be willing to work on something like they did. I think some could be found in The Few, The Proud, The Marines. Semper Fidelis <> Always Faithful.
I have a small pocketsize booklet of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. You can get one for yourself at no charge by requesting one through your United States Congressman. If you live in the 1st District of Florida, call or write to Representative Jeff Miller’s office in Pensacola.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
It is often asked how 55 men could have assembled in 1787 and in less than four months writes a Constitution that has lasted 224 years. John Adams said, “The deliberate union of so great and various a people in such a place is, without all partiality or prejudice, if not the greatest exertion of human understanding, the greatest single effort of national deliberation that the world has ever seen.”
They were unique in as much as they had spent considerable time studying government and political theory and history. They had many years of service in their respective states and some had in fact been involved in drafting their own state constitutions. They were probably the most knowledgeable men in the United States.
May 25, 1787: OPENING OF THE CONSTITUTION COMVENTION.
By May 25, a quorum of delegates from seven states had arrived in Philadelphia for the Convention. Ultimately, representatives from all the states but Rhode Island attend. Of the 55 participants, over half were lawyers, and 29 attended college. The distinguished public figures included George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, George Mason, Gouverneur Morris, James Wilson, Roger Sherman and Elbridge Gerry.
May 29, 1787: VIRGINIA PLAN PROPOSED.
On the fifth day of the meeting, Edmund Randolph, a delegate from Virginia, offers 15 resolutions making up the “Virginia Plan” of Union rather than amending the Articles of Confederation, the proposal describes completely new organization of government, including a bicameral (upper and lower house) legislature which represents the states proportionately, with the lower house elected by the people and the upper house chosen by the lower body from nominees proposed by the state legislature; an executive chosen by the legislature; a judiciary branch; and a council composed of the executive and members of the judiciary branch with a veto over legislative enactments.
June 15, 1787: NEW JERSEY PLAN PROPOSED.
Displeased by Randolph’s plan, which placed the smaller states in a disadvantageous position, William Peterson proposes instead only to modify the Articles of confederation. The New Jersey plan gives Congress power to tax and to regulate foreign and interstate commerce and establishes a plural executive (without veto power) and a supreme court.
June 19, 1787: After debating all the proposals, the Convention decides not merely to amend the Articles of Confederation but to devise a new national government. The question of equal versus proportional representation by states in the legislature now becomes the focus of the debate.
June 21, 1787: The Convention adopts a two-year term for representatives.
June 26, 1887: The Convention adopts a six-year term for Senators.
August 6, 1787: The five-man committee appointed to draft a constitution based upon 23 “fundamental resolutions” drawn up by the convention between July 19 and July 26 submits its documents, which contain 23 articles.
August 6-September 10, 1787: THE GREAT DEBATE. The Convention debates the draft constitution.
August 16, 1787: The Convention grants to Congress the right to regulate foreign trade and interstate commerce.
August 25, 1787: The Convention agrees to prohibit Congress from banning foreign slave trade for twenty years.
September 6, 1787: The Convention adopts a four-year term for the President.
September 8, 1787: A five-man committee, comprising William Samuel Johnson (chair), Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Rufus King and Gouverneur Morris, is appointed to prepare the final draft.
September 12, 1787: The committee submits the draft, penned primarily by Gouverneur Morris, to the Convention.
September 13-15, 1787: The Convention examines the draft clause by clause and makes few changes.
September 17, 1787: All twelve state delegations vote approval of the document. Thirty-nine of the forty-two delegates present sign the engrossed copy, and a letter of transmittal to Congress is drafted. The Convention formally adjourns.
September 20, 1787: Congress receives the proposed Constitution.
Followed was the Bill of Rights, which are the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution, and now we have 27 Amendments.
God Bless America and God Bless the United States Constitution of the United States.
