Lesson 9: How Was the Philadelphia Convention Organized?

Lesson Purpose

The Constitution of the United States of America was written at a convention held in Philadelphia in 1787. This lesson describes some of the important people who attended and the first steps they took in Philadelphia. The structure and rules they gave to their deliberations played a major role in the outcome by providing a framework for civil discourse, that is, the reasoned discussion of issues. The Virginia Plan, the first blueprint that the delegates considered, created the agenda for subsequent discussions.