The Constitutional Convention signed the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787.
Delegates met at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, from May 25 through September 17, 1787. The convention originally gathered to revise the Articles of Confederation but produced an entirely new framework of government instead.
Thirty-nine delegates signed the final Constitution on September 17. George Washington presided over the convention, while James Madison played a major role in drafting and recording the proceedings. The document then went to the states for ratification.
Philadelphia is associated with several founding-era events, which can cause confusion. Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence there in 1776, and the Constitution was also signed there in 1787. The city was the national capital under the Confederation Congress before the federal government moved to New York City.