Constitutional Convention of 1787 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Constitutional Convention of 1787 - Essay Example While the United States had previously passed the Articles of Confederation, it was realized that a stronger and more complex vision of government would need to be presented. It was with this understanding in mind that representatives from twelve states met in Philadelphia in May 1787 to discuss various aspects of government (Collier). This meeting was referred to as the Constitutional Convention. Today the on-goings of this convention is known through the diaries of James Madison. Madison is also recognized as perhaps the Constitutions key contributor, as he was the primary drafter of the document. In addition to Madison other key contributors included many of the nation’s prominent forefathers. Among these individuals included Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, and George Washington. In all fifty-five delegates from the twelve states attended the convention. There were a number of compromises that were reached during the constitutional Convention of 1787. The most prominent compromise has come to be termed the Great Compromise. The main consideration within this aspect of the convention was the extent of and boundaries of state powers. A prominent aspect of this debate was how many representatives would be elected from each state and in what proportion to the population (Gordon). ). Clearly a variety of divergent opinions emerged on this issue as larger states desired further representation because of population size, while smaller states desired a system wherein there would be equal representation