George Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
Delegates elected Washington as president of the convention when it assembled on May 25. His role was largely to chair proceedings and maintain order rather than to write the Constitution’s text. He had commanded the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and was widely respected by delegates from different states.
The convention met from May 25 through September 17, 1787. It had originally been called to revise the Articles of Confederation, but the delegates ultimately drafted an entirely new framework of government. James Madison played a major role in developing and recording proposals, while many delegates debated representation, taxation, executive power, and slavery.
Washington’s presidency of the convention did not automatically make him the Constitution’s author. After ratification, however, he became the first president of the United States, taking office in 1789.