| − | Constitution Day is on September 17th each year, to celebrate the "Framers" who signed the U.S. Constitution at the completion of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.<ref>http://www.constitutionday.com/</ref>Land These Framers were led by George Washington, who presided over the convention, and included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and, from New Jersey, William Livingston and William Paterson. Note that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were not part of the Constitutional Convention and never signed the Constitution, because they were away representing the United States to foreign nations at the time (in England and France, respectively). Indeed, this entire week, from September 17 through 23, is "Constitution Week." | + | Constitution Day is on September 17th each year, to celebrate the "Framers" who signed the U.S. Constitution at the completion of the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787.<ref>http://www.constitutionday.com/</ref> These Framers were led by George Washington, who presided over the convention, and included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and, from New Jersey, William Livingston and William Paterson. Note that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were not part of the Constitutional Convention and never signed the Constitution, because they were away representing the United States to foreign nations at the time (in England and France, respectively). Indeed, this entire week, from September 17 through 23, is "Constitution Week." |
| | The U.S. Constitution did not become law immediately on Constitution Day. Instead, it was sent to the 13 former colonies to consider replacing the Articles of Confederation that were governing them at the time. Vigorous debate between the "Federalists" (led by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison) and the "Anti-Federalists" (led by Patrick Henry and George Mason) ensued, with the Federalists favoring ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the Anti-Federalists opposing it. The Federalists wrote "The Federalist Papers" anonymously as a series of articles in a leading New York newspaper to urge ratification by the large state of New York, which was pivotal to formation of the new United States under the U.S. Constitution. Today the "Federalist Papers" are used as "legislative history" in interpreting what the U.S. Constitution really means. | | The U.S. Constitution did not become law immediately on Constitution Day. Instead, it was sent to the 13 former colonies to consider replacing the Articles of Confederation that were governing them at the time. Vigorous debate between the "Federalists" (led by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison) and the "Anti-Federalists" (led by Patrick Henry and George Mason) ensued, with the Federalists favoring ratification of the U.S. Constitution and the Anti-Federalists opposing it. The Federalists wrote "The Federalist Papers" anonymously as a series of articles in a leading New York newspaper to urge ratification by the large state of New York, which was pivotal to formation of the new United States under the U.S. Constitution. Today the "Federalist Papers" are used as "legislative history" in interpreting what the U.S. Constitution really means. |