Who was unanimously elected to preside over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787?

George Washington was unanimously elected to preside over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.

The convention met at the Pennsylvania State House, later called Independence Hall, from May 25 to September 17, 1787. Delegates had initially been asked to revise the Articles of Confederation, but many concluded that the United States needed an entirely new framework of government.

Washington’s reputation as the former commander of the Continental Army and a respected national figure made him a natural choice to chair the proceedings. His role was largely procedural rather than that of the Constitution’s principal author.

James Madison helped develop the Virginia Plan and kept extensive notes, while Benjamin Franklin was an influential elder delegate. The convention produced the Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787. Washington later became the first president under that Constitution.