James Madison of Virginia is called the “Father of the Constitution.” He was a brilliant political theorist who proposed throwing out the failed Articles of Confederation that had been used since the war. He wanted to start over with a whole new plan. He understood the need for branches of government to have some power over each other. Madison was a major influence in creating the Constitution, but other people contributed important ideas, too. Some are shown on this page. When fierce opposition arose in some states, it took the vigorous efforts of many to persuade the whole country to agree. Madison helped by giving speeches and writing a series of newspaper articles that explained the benefits of the Constitution. His detailed notes of the Convention are a national treasure today. They help us understand what happened there.

George Washington
Washington had great prestige, but he was reluctant to go the meeting in Philadelphia. He wasn’t sure anything good would come of it, and he had health and business concerns. He finally decided to attend because he didn’t want people to think he was opposed. He was elected unanimously as president of the Convention, and his presence brought it a sense of legitimacy.

Benjamin Franklin
Printer, scientist, inventor and diplomat, he was perhaps the most remarkable man of his time. He persuaded France to aid the Americans in the war, and signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. In Philadelphia, he was able to calm things down with good humor when tempers got hot over controversial issues like representation and slavery.

Roger Sherman
He represented the state of Connecticut. Everyone admired him because he was a man of principle. It was Sherman who proposed what is known as the “Great Compromise” on representation, which created two houses of Congress — a Senate, in which each state had an equal vote, and a House of Representatives, where votes were based on a state’s population.

Alexander Hamilton
He represented New York and supported a strong central government. He wrote brilliant essays to help people in New York to understand the Constitution and vote for it. Later, he ran for president and was killed in a duel by his rival Aaron Burr.