The Constitutional Convention began meeting in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787.
Delegates from the states gathered at the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall, to address problems in the Articles of Confederation. Although the convention was originally expected to begin on May 14, it lacked a quorum until May 25.
The meeting eventually moved beyond simply revising the Articles. Delegates debated representation, executive power, federal authority, taxation, and the relationship between states and the national government. James Madison’s Virginia Plan and the later Connecticut Compromise shaped the resulting structure.
The convention completed its work on September 17, 1787, when 39 delegates signed the proposed Constitution. The document then required ratification by the states and took effect in 1789. America250 celebrations look back not only to 1776, but also to the constitutional system that followed independence.