As the temperature rose in early July debate, distrust, and division became heated among delegates to the Constitutional Convention—compromise proved elusive.
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 1: July 1, 1787: Sunday Recess
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention enjoyed a recess after a long week of arguments. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 2: July 2, 1787: Deadlock
Unable to resolve its most difficult question, the Convention adjourns for two days while a committee considers how states will be represented in the United States Congress. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 3: July 3, 1787: The Vital Compromise
While the Convention was adjourned, a committee tasked with resolving the most difficult issue—congressional representation—arrived at the compromise needed to keep the Convention from failing. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 4: July 4, 1787: Independence Day Celebration
The Convention was in recess so delegates could enjoy commemorations of the nation's founding. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 5: July 5, 1787: Bitter Arguments
The Convention angrily debated a plan to give equal representation to small states and large states in one house of Congress. Read more
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Article 6: July 6, 1787: Haggling over a Compromise
With much discontent still in the atmosphere, the Convention delegates struggled to work out the parameters of how representation would work in congress. Read more
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Article 7: July 7, 1787: Agitation and Discontentment
Delegates from both large and small states argued that the compromise over representation failed to represent their interests. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 8: July 8, 1787: A Day of Rest
After a fraught week, the delegates recessed. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 9: July 9, 1787: Power and Representation
Delegates debated how to assign congressional representation to the states, ultimately clashing over whether states' enslaved populations should count toward their power in Congress. Read more
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Article 10: July 10, 1787: A New Division
For the first time in the Convention, northern and southern states extensively jousted for political power. Read more
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Article 11: July 11, 1787: North vs. South, East vs. West
A seemingly simple issue—the census—resulted in a long day of difficult, complex arguments that exposed regional rivalries. Read more
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Article 12: July 12, 1787: Progress Toward Compromise
Delegates rehashed some of the previous day's arguments on the census, but started to find resolution. Read more
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Article 13: July 13, 1787: A Two-headed Snake
The divisions in the nation were illustrated both by the day's arguments and by a curious scientific specimen in Benjamin Franklin's possession. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 14: July 14, 1787: Revisiting the Compromise
The Convention almost took a step backwards when several delegates forced a vote to revisit the key compromise from over a week earlier giving each state an equal vote in one house of the legislature. Read more
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Independence National Historical Park
Article 15: July 15, 1787: A Sorely Needed Recess
After a week of lurchingly slow progress that ended with a proposal to undo a key compromise, the delegates had a day off to rest, contemplate, and catch up on correspondence. Read more