May 25, 1787

Constitutional Convention (United States)

The Constitutional Convention organizes with a quorum in Philadelphia

Fresh dirt was spread over the cobblestones outside to muffle passing carts — and the first working session ended without a word of constitutional debate.

25 May 1787: the seventh state arrives

The Federal Convention had been called for 14 May 1787, but only two state delegations were present, and the waiting delegates assembled and adjourned for eleven days. A newly arrived New Jersey delegation supplied the seventh represented state — the quorum the convention needed.

With seven delegations represented — New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina — the Convention formally organized at the Pennsylvania State House.

Officers, doorkeepers, and a rules committee

Robert Morris nominated George Washington to preside; the delegates elected him unanimously by ballot, and Washington responded by apologizing in advance for errors his inexperience might cause. William Jackson was elected secretary.

The Convention then appointed George Wythe, Alexander Hamilton and Charles Pinckney to draft procedural rules, named doorkeepers, and adjourned until Monday 28 May so the committee could report.

What the day did not decide

Quorum arithmetic ran on states, not heads: seven represented delegations, not seven delegates. Nor was Washington elected president of anything but the Convention.

The larger question stayed open. The National Archives dates the clear shift away from merely amending the Articles of Confederation to mid-June, weeks after this organizational session.

Sources

Researched 23 Aug 2026 5 sources 3 audit passes

How this was checked

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