Series: The Constitutional Convention: A Day by Day Account for August 1 to 15, 1787

Delegates to the Constitutional Convention debated a wide range of topics such as voting privileges, qualifications for holding office, and veto powers and pored over the first draft of the Constitution.

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  Article 1: August 1, 1787: The Eyes of the World on Philadelphia

  

  Multiple letters from this day of recess indicate that observers from Virginia to as far as England eagerly awaited the results of the Convention. Read more

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  Article 2: August 2, 1787: A Day in Motion

  

  While some delegates who had left Philadelphia during the recess were in the process of returning, Thomas Jefferson shipped three boxes of books to James Madison. Read more

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  Article 3: August 3, 1787: Still Fishing

  

  While other delegates attended to matters political and personal, George Washington and two Pennsylvania delegates went on a second fishing trip during the Convention's recess. Read more

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  Article 4: August 4, 1787: A System Founded on Justice and Equity

  

  The Convention was in recess and its deliberations were secret, but Americans were already bracing for an argument over the United States Constitution. Read more

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  Article 5: August 5, 1787: Recess Over

  

  Perhaps the delegates felt anxious on the last day they were adjourned before reconvening to complete the Constitution which had just been drafted by the Committee of Detail. Read more

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  Article 6: August 6, 1787: A First Draft

  

  For the first time, a written draft of the Constitution was presented to the delegates, incorporating the resolutions they had debated for over two months. Read more

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  Article 7: August 7, 1787: The Right to Vote

  

  At a time when most Americans already couldn't vote, the delegates considered—and ultimately rejected—restricting suffrage even further. Read more

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  Article 8: August 8, 1787:Slavery and Representation

  

  As the Convention considered the makeup of the House of Representatives, Rufus King and Gouverneur Morris delivered a spectacular, and unheeded, condemnation of slavery and how it increased the representation (and power) of slave states under the Constitution. Read more

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  Article 9: August 9, 1787: Immigrants as Senators

  

  The day's chief argument was over how long immigrants should be US citizens before being eligible to serve as Senators. The debate became personal when delegates drew from their experiences as immigrants to argue for opposing stances on the issue. Read more

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  Article 10: August 10, 1787: Qualifications and Quorums

  

  In a relatively uncontentious day, the Convention discussed whether federal politicians should be required to own property and what would constitute a quorum in each house of Congress. Read more

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  Article 11: August 11, 1787: Continuing Debate on Congress

  

  The Convention had another mostly conflict-free day, with the only sour note being the distaste multiple delegates voiced at the thought of New York City continuing as the capital city. Read more

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  Article 12: August 12, 1787: Recess

  

  After a productive, relatively drama-free week, the Convention was adjourned for Sunday. Read more

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  Article 13: August 13, 1787: Immigrants as Representatives

  

  The delegates returned to the emotionally charged debate over how long immigrants should hold citizenship before allowed to serve in the United States Congress. Read more

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  Article 14: August 14, 1787: Preventing Corruption

  

  The Convention wrestled with how to keep Congress from becoming corrupted. Should members be eligible for other offices in the federal government? Should they be salaried by their states or the United States? Read more

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  Article 15: August 15, 1787: The Veto

  

  The interaction of the three branches of government was a primary concern today as the Convention tried to determine if and how the judiciary and the President could overturn legislation. Read more