The 1787 Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia. Delegates gathered in the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
The convention was originally called to revise the Articles of Confederation, the first governing framework of the United States. Delegates instead produced an entirely new Constitution after debates over taxation, representation, executive power, and the relationship between state and federal governments.
George Washington presided over the meetings. The delegates included James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and other representatives from twelve states; Rhode Island did not send delegates.
Philadelphia had already been central to the independence movement and later hosted the federal government for a short period. The Constitution signed there required ratification by the states before it could take effect, linking the convention directly to the constitutional milestones remembered during America250.