National Archives and Records AdministrationPosted on 02/18/2002 12:37:55 PM PST by Gumption
National Archives and Records Administration
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. The Founding Fathers page features the biographies of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention.
You can read a transcription of the complete text of the Constitution. This page also provides hyperlinks to biographies of each of the 39 delegates who signed the Constitution.
The article "A More Perfect Union" is an in-depth look at the Constitutional Convention and the ratification process.
"Questions and Answers Pertaining to the Constitution" presents dozens of fascinating facts about the Constitution.
Page two of the U.S. Constitution was unveiled in its new encasement on September 15, 2000. Read remarks issued at the ceremony by John W. Carlin, Archivist of the United States, and Dr. Michael Beschloss.
You can also display high-resolution image of each of the pages of the Constitution:
On September 17, 1787, the document was signed and sent to Congress, which soon forwarded printed copies to the state legislatures. Then began the great debate. Madison, Hamilton, and Jay wrote the brilliant Federalist Papers. George Mason, Elbridge Gerry, and Patrick Henry led the Antifederalists in opposing it. Others joined in the argument, in pamphlets, articles, speeches, and letters. By June 21, 1788, conventions in nine states later approved it. Thus the States, which had so recently gained their independence, gave up some of their hard-won sovereignty "in Order to form a more perfect Union."
Image: James Madison was not only the preeminent figure at the convention
but also played a leading role in the ratification process.
[ Bill of Rights | Amendments 11-27| Declaration of Independence | Charters Page ]
I've also included a link to THE FEDERALIST PAPERS, and there's another one. I hope everyone can make time to follow all the links. It never hurts to become more familiar with our country's founding dads and their most glaring achievements, the Constitution and the Bill Of Rights, as well as their inspirations, motivations, and explainations for such a grand undertaking.
Here are also three fantastic links to an almost endless amount of important information dealing with the founding of our unique experiment in good government :
Primary Source Documents Pertaining to Early American History
A Chronology of US Historical Documents
and ...
I hope everyone enjoys this information half as much as I do. Happy reading to all my fellow FReepers, and don't forget to bookmark!
And oh yeah, happy "Presidents Day".
FRegards,
CD
"A true, deep love of Liberty, coupled with a faithful adherence to the Bill of Rights, would eliminate many of Mankind's major political-legal problems. Such an attitude would create a firm foundation for safety in society and an excellent basis for a long term, mutually rewarding, Citizen-Civil Authority relationship. Sadly, however, too many in and out of civil authority lack such an attitude. Too many think the Founders, the Framers, and the Ratifiers are old prune faces reduced to dust who are irrelevant by over two hundred years. To exacerbate matters, too many erroneously believe that they are smarter than the Framers, or they are not duty bound to adhere to the Framers' framework. There is, however, a direct relationship between how far civil authority undermines the Bill of Rights and our current major political-legal problems. To the extent that civil authority and Authoritarian Elitists persist with perverting language to undermine the Bill of Rights, it is inevitable that those who value Liberty will be forced to confront reality starkly. When that happens, many will roll up their sleeves and begin to slit throats. Liberty will be born anew from such courage and conviction, and it will be nurtured with the blood of Patriots and Non-Patriots."
Petition Written By: S.D. Smith
Petition Written By: David C. Osborne
FREEPMAIL me if you are aware of any other petitions so I can add them to my list...
FreeRepublic Minute Men
Clever, clever. BTTT
There are actually 2 petitions that I know of so far.. Please sign BOTH !!...
Petition Written By: S.D. Smith
Petition Written By: David C. Osborne
FREEPMAIL me if you are aware of any other petitions so I can add them to my list...
Please, please, please, read the third line of this document. It is not the Constitution of the United States, it is the
Constitution
FOR the United States.How many bleedin' times do we have to endure this mistake.
Cheers, Douglas
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