The Road to the The Road to the ConstitutionConstitutionChapter 3 Sec. 1Chapter 3 Sec. 1

Section 1 VocabularySection 1 Vocabulary

• Constitutional Convention

Fixing the ArticlesFixing the Articles

• Each state except Rhode Island sent delegates to Philadelphia to fix the flaws in the Articles of Confederation

• Most of the 55 men were well educated and experienced in politics• Native Americans, African Americans, and

women were not included

Fixing the ArticlesFixing the Articles

• Benjamin Franklin was the oldest to attend• He was a writer, diplomat, inventor, and

scientist

• George Washington and James Madison also attended• Both would later become presidents

• Thomas Jefferson and John Adams could not attend• They were visiting Europe as diplomats

Early DecisionsEarly Decisions

• The delegates chose George Washington to preside• He would choose a committee to set rules for conducting the

convention

• The committee decided that decisions would be made by a majority vote.• All discussions were to be kept secret

• No formal records were kept• Most of what we know comes from James Madison’s personal

notebook of events

• The delegates decided to do away with the Articles of Confederation all together and write a new constitution• This meeting became known as the Constitutional Convention

Constitutional ConventionConstitutional Convention