Today, the Constitution Commemorative Gold Five Dollar Coin remembers the first official events of the convention beginning May 25, 1787.
An excerpt from The Magazine of History of July 1914 and their article “The Unifying of the Thirteen States in America” provided insights into that time:
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Disappointed in the lack of prosperity after the war, with the citizens of the States divided, among themselves, it is not to be wondered at that our general drift was slowly towards a kind of anarchy and political chaos.
The States began to quarrel among themselves. Pennsylvania and Connecticut had a serious disagreement over the Wyoming Valley but the matter was settled by arbitration. New York and New Hampshire quarreled over the territory of Vermont, while New York had also a dispute with New Jersey and Connecticut upon certain trade relations.
The national treasury was in a very bad condition; and, of course, a great war debt had been incurred during the struggle with England.
Moreover, the Revolutionary soldiers were more and more strenuously demanding certain pay still owed them, but Congress was powerless to assist them. At last, a few of them actually marched upon Philadelphia, where Congress was in session, and Congress suddenly adjourned, and took refuge in Prince ton, New Jersey.
Naturally, things grew worse and worse. The situation was not at all improved by the individual States issuing paper money. As would be expected the whole country was flooded with it, and the damage to business was very great.
Massachusetts, however, refused to issue such paper money, and also decided to pay her apportionment to Congress. Presently there was a sort of civil war within her borders —a serious uprising known as “Shays’ Rebellion”. This was soon put down but its occurrence caused a feeling of deep dismay throughout the country.
It was high time that something was done. The nation was rapidly getting into a wretched condition; its prestige abroad was very low. Its States were deluged with worthless paper money, there were quarrels and riots, and an important foreign treaty was pending.
Our leading men were exchanging views, and suggestions were many and varied.
Washington was not at all in favor of the Articles of Confederation. In 1783 he wrote a letter to the governors of the several States, declaring that a stronger union was necessary.
There was a great deal of talk about amending the Articles; but nothing practical was done until the Virginia legislature in 1786 appointed commissioners to meet such other commissioners as might be sent by the several States to “take into consideration the trade of the United States; to examine the relative situations and trade of the said States; to consider how far a uniform system in their commercial regulations may be necessary to their common interest and their permanent harmony; and to report to the several States such an act relative to this great object as, when unanimously ratified by them, will enable the United States in Congress assembled effectually to provide for the same.”
As is evident, this was merely an invitation on the part of Virginia, and this invitation was accepted by the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
In September, 1786, twelve commissioners met at Annapolis, Maryland; but adjourned after a short session, their chief result being to recommend that a full convention from all the States be held at Philadelphia in the following spring to consider plans for adapting the Federal government “to the exigencies of the Union.”
To this recommendation of the commissioners at Annapolis, Congress at last gave its formal consent, by issuing a call for such a national convention.
This convention was to be held “For the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation, and reporting to Congress and the several legislatures such alterations and provisions therein as shall, when agreed to in Congress and confirmed by the States, render the Federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government, and the preservation of the Union”.
Thus, there came about the famous Federal Convention which gave to the United States and the world a most remarkable document.
The first Continental Congress had prepared the country for independence, the second had secured that independence, the Congress of Confederation was in session during the time of uncertainty from the close of the war to the establishment of the Constitution; but the Federal Convention was just as important as these different Congresses.
What had occurred before this Convention would have been of little use unless a fixed and satisfactory government was provided and inaugurated.
What this Federal Convention did was to provide a remarkable Constitution that inaugurated and established the great government of the United States.
There have, of course, been amendments to it, and some interpretations of it which are open to discussion; but the Constitution created in 1787 is as great a national document today as it was then.
Following the call of Congress on February 21, 1787, all the States, except Rhode Island, appointed delegates to the Convention; Rhode Island being unrepresented probably because of certain selfish reasons.
As it was, twelve states took part, with a delegation of fifty-five, all of those who were chosen not attending the Convention.
The assembly met in Philadelphia, in the same building and same room where in 1776 had been adopted the Declaration of Independence.
All were well known or famous men, like Washington, Franklin, Madison, Hamilton, Robert, and Gouverneur Morris, Pinckney, Sherman, Gerry, Rutledge, King and Wilson.
But, nevertheless, some equally famous men were absent from the Convention. Jefferson and Adams were in Europe, Patrick Henry had refused to serve, and Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams and John Hancock were not present.
There was considerable diversity of opinion among the delegates.
Some wanted merely to amend the Articles of Confederation; others to make a wholly new Constitution.
Washington was among the latter, and his words at the time are well worth quoting. “If, to please the people, we offer what we ourselves disapprove, how can we afterward defend our work? Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the event is in the hand of God.”
Although some of the delegation did not appear for several weeks, the first session of the Convention was held on the 25th of May, 1787.
Washington was chosen chairman; and the doors were strictly closed to the public.
All the members were pledged to secrecy with regard to the debates and votes, for it was thought best to give out the proceedings as a whole and not in parts.
This course was also considered judicious as it would prevent public unrest over the work of the Convention.
Indeed, so well did the members keep their promise of secrecy that nothing was known of their debates and votes for many years afterwards.
However, Madison took down in shorthand from time to time an account of the debates, which account he would then submit to the different speakers for their approval.
But Madison did not permit his notes to be published during his lifetime; they were given to the public some fifty years afterward.
Of all the members, he seems to have done the most to unify the different opinions in the Convention.
In the many discussions he himself took part more than fifty times, and so influential was he in shaping the general course of the delegates that he has been called the “father of the Constitution.”
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The Constitution Commemorative Gold Five Dollar Coin shows with an image of the beginning of the famous document.
