Who presided as president of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787?

George Washington presided as president of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.

The convention met from May 25 to September 17, 1787, at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. Delegates originally gathered to consider changes to the Articles of Confederation, but they ultimately drafted an entirely new Constitution.

Washington’s presence gave the proceedings prestige because he was widely respected as the former commander of the Continental Army and a leading figure of the Revolution. He chaired the meetings but generally did not dominate the debates. James Madison kept extensive notes and played a major role in shaping the constitutional plan.

Washington later became the first president of the United States under the Constitution. His convention role and later presidency are related but distinct facts. He was not the principal author of the Constitution, and the convention’s final document reflected compromises among many delegates and states.