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The Federal Convention convened in the State
House (Independence Hall) in Philadelphia on May
14, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation.
Because the delegations from only two states were
at first present, the members adjourned from day
to day until a quorum of seven states was obtained
on May 25. Through discussion and debate it became
clear by mid-June that, rather than amend the
existing Articles, the Convention would draft
an entirely new frame of government. All through
the summer, in closed sessions, the delegates
debated, and redrafted the articles of the new
Constitution. Among the chief points at issue
were how much power to allow the central government,
how many representatives in Congress to allow
each state, and how these representatives should
be elected--directly by the people or by the state
legislators. The work of many minds, the Constitution
stands as a model of cooperative statesmanship
and the art of compromise. |