George Washington was unanimously elected president of the 1787 Constitutional Convention.
The convention met in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 17, 1787. Delegates selected Washington to preside over their proceedings, recognizing his military leadership during the Revolutionary War and his national stature. He generally managed the meetings formally while the delegates debated the structure of the proposed government.
Washington was a Virginia delegate and former commander in chief of the Continental Army. Although he rarely participated in debate, his presence helped give the convention authority and stability. He later became the first president under the Constitution, serving from 1789 to 1797.
James Madison was another central figure at the convention and is often called the “Father of the Constitution,” but he was not the convention’s president. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate and Alexander Hamilton was an influential advocate of a stronger national government. Washington’s role connects the Revolutionary generation directly with the government created after independence.