For America's 250th anniversary, George Washington was unanimously elected president of the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
The convention met in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787. Washington, a Virginia delegate and former commander of the Continental Army, was chosen to preside over the proceedings because of his stature and reputation for fairness.
His role as convention president did not make him the Constitution's author. James Madison helped shape many proposals and kept extensive notes, while dozens of delegates debated representation, executive power, federal authority, and the relationship between the states.
Washington generally spoke sparingly during the debates, but his presence helped lend legitimacy to the gathering. He later became the first president under the Constitution, serving from 1789 to 1797.