Which 1787 gathering drafted the U.S. Constitution, a founding event commemorated by America250?

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 drafted the U.S. Constitution.

Delegates met in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787. The meeting was initially called to revise the Articles of Confederation, the first national governing framework of the United States. Instead, delegates decided to create an entirely new system of government with stronger federal powers.

George Washington presided over the convention, while James Madison became one of its most influential participants and is often called the Father of the Constitution. Delegates debated representation, executive authority, taxation, commerce, and the relationship between state and national governments. The Connecticut Compromise helped resolve the dispute over legislative representation.

The convention approved the final document on September 17, 1787. Thirty-nine of the 55 delegates present signed it, and the Constitution took effect after New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it on June 21, 1788. The convention itself wrote the Constitution; later state conventions handled ratification.