On February 21, 1787, Congress resolved: "It is expedient that on the second Monday in May next a Convention of delegates who shall have been appointed by the several States be held at Philadelphia for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation." On the appointed day, May 14, few representatives were present. The Convention (also known as the Philadelphia Convention) only obtained a quorum—delegates of twelve of the states were there on May 25.
The 55 delegates who drafted the Constitution included most of the outstanding leaders, or Founding Fathers, of the new nation. They represented a wide range of interests, backgrounds, and stations in life, although they shared a common background: the vast majority of them were wealthy landowners and all were white males.
The primary aim of the Constitution was to create a strong elected government that was responsive to the will of the people, although there is some controversy over this. Many of the Founding Fathers believed that the new government needed to be insulated from the will of the people; hence the design of such features as the Electoral College or the election of Senators by the state legislatures. The concept of sovereignty of the people in a republic was new—a key ingredient of republicanism in the United States. By the time the Constitution was adopted, Americans had considerable expertise in the art of self-government. Long before independence was declared, the colonies were functioning governmental units controlled by the people. By 1777, ten of the thirteen states had adopted their own constitutions. Most states had a governor elected by the state legislature. The legislature itself was elected by popular vote. Every state but Pennsylvania had a bicameral legislature as well.
The Articles of Confederation had tried to unite these self-governing states. The Constitution, by contrast, established a strong central, or federal, government with broad powers to regulate relations between the states and with sole responsibility in such areas as foreign affairs and defense.
It was within the power of the old Congress to expedite or block the ratification of the new Constitution. The document that the Philadelphia Convention presented was technically only a revision of the Articles of Confederation. But the last article of the new instrument provided that when ratified by conventions in nine states, it should go into effect among the States so acting. The need for only nine states was a controversial decision at the time, since the Articles of Confederation could only be amended by unanimous vote of all the states. However, the new Constitution was ratified by all thirteen states, with Rhode Island signing on last in May 1790.
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Constitutional Convention Constitution of the United States: Papers Relating to Adoption by the State of Rhode Island, C#238, Rhode Island State Archives.
The Constitutional Convention Constitution of the United States: Papers Relating to Adoption by the State of Rhode Island consist of papers relating to the adoption of the United States Constitution by Rhode Island. The papers include votes of freeholders of the towns respective, resolutions and proposed amendments and journals of the convention and ratification.
The Constitutional Convention Constitution of the United States: Papers Relating to Adoption by the State of Rhode Island are arranged into the following series:
Accession information is unavailable.
Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns to determine whether to adopt or reject the Constitution agreed on the 17th of September 1787 in Philadelphia. Dated March 24, 1788.
Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of Glocester, Exeter, Portmsouth and Warren.
Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of Johnston, North Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Foster, Westerly and Tiverton.
Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of South Kingstown, Scituate, New Shoreham, Middletown, Newport, Charlestown, West Greenwich, East Greenwich and Jamestown.
Includes Votes of the Freeholders of the Towns of Cumberland, Smithfield and Providence.
Includes various Resolutions drafted in town meetings of the freeholders of the towns in consideration of a bill by the General Assembly entitled "An Act to Formulate and give efficacy to the Paper Bills emitted by this State…" An Act making the Paper Bills of this State a tender in payment of War Debt, 1786-1788
Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Newport (October 2, 1786), Cumberland (April 18, 1787), Warwick (October 21, 1786), Cumberland (March 24, 1788), East Greenwich (October 21, 1786), Cumberland (February 25, 1786), Cumberland (October 25, 1786), Cranston (February 18, 1786), Glocester (October 23, 1786) and Warwick (February 25, 1786).
Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Glocester (February 14, 1786), New Shoreham (April 18, 1787), Smithfield (April 18, 1787), Charlestown (Third Wednesday April 1787), Little Compton (March 24, 1788), Portsmouth (October 28, 1786), Barrington (March 24, 1788), North Providence (October 21, 1786), South Kingstown (April 18, 1787) and Bristol (October 21, 1786).
Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Richmond (February 11, 1786), Hopkinton (August 29, 1786), East Greenwich (April 28, 1787), Westerly (April 18, 1787), Middletown (March 24, 1788), Middletown (April 18, 1787), Smithfield (April 19, 1786), Smithfield (February. 1786), Foster (April 18, 1786), Scituate (April 28, 1787), Exeter (October 26, 1786) and Little Compton (January 5, 1788).
Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Middletown (February 25, 1786), Westerly (March 24, 1788), Glocester (February 17, 1787), Newport (April 18, 1787), Charlestown (February 17, 1786), Tiverton (March 6, 1786), Foster (February 6, 1786), Portsmouth (November 14, 1785), Warwick (April 21, 1787) and Richmond (April 18, 1787).
Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of South Kingstown (March 24, 1788), Coventry (April 18, 1787), Coventry (February 5, 1786), Hopkinton (April 26, 1787), Cranston (October 23, 1786), Exeter (April 18, 1787), Hopkinton (March 24, 1788), Providence (April 18, 1787), Cranston (April 18, 1787) and Middletown (February 27, 1786 - Petition of Freemen).
Includes various Resolutions drafted in the town meetings of Scituate (October 23, 1786), West Greenwich (March 24, 1788), Glocester (April 18, 1787), Bristol (March 24, 1788), Tiverton (October 25, 1786) and Jamestown (March 24, 1788).
Journal of the Convention held in South Kingstown pursuant to an act of the General Assembly passed at the January Session for the purpose of investigating and deciding on the new Constitution proposed for the United States. - Includes the names of delegates of the respective towns present, rules of the convention, votes, and drafts of amendments to the Federal Constitution. 17 pp.
Journal of the Convention, 29 pp.
Includes amendments to the Federal Constitution, Journal Fragment (May 1, 1790), Journal Fragment (May 27, 1790), List of Delegates - 2 pp. (May 24, 1790), List of Delegates (1790), Motion by W. Merchant, 1 leaf [May 1790] and Amendment (May 1790).
Includes Ratification of the Constitution of the United States by the Convention of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 1790, 8 pp.
Includes proceeding of town meetings and instructions to town delegates for Providence (May 24, 1790), Portsmouth (May 29, 1790), Portsmouth - 7 pp. (February 7, 1790) and North Kingstown (May 24, 1790).
Includes proceeding of town meetings and instructions to town delegates for Middletown (April 21, 1790), Convention of Freemen of the Several Counties of Providence, Kent and Washington (February 2, 1790) - to recommend to the freemen of each town to choose delegates for the purpose of taking the merits of the new Constitution into consideration..., Portsmouth (May 29, 1790), Portsmouth (April 26, 1790), Middletown (May 29, 1790), Charlestown (April 21, 1790), Richmond (April 15, 1790) and Richmond (February 8, 1790).
Includes election certificates for the towns of Newport (February 8, 1790), Providence (February 25, 1790), Middletown (February 8, 1790), North Providence (February 8, 1790), Westerly (February 8, 1790), Warren (Second Monday in February, 1790), Warren (May 2, 1790 - Benjamin Bosworth to replace Nathan Miller), Bristol (Second Monday in February, 1790), Barrington (February 8, 1790) and Cumberland (February 8, 1790).
Includes election certificates for the towns of Foster (February 8, 1790), Middletown (May 29, 17901) - resignation of Wm. Peckham and appointment of Elisha Barker, Charlestown (February 8, 1790), Portsmouth (February 8, 1790), Glocester (February 8, 1790), Cranston (February 8, 1790), Hopkinton (February 8, 1790), North Kingstown (February 8, 1790), South Kingstown (February 8, 1790) and Westerly (February 8, 1790).
Includes election certificates for the towns of Johnston (Second Monday in February, 1790), Scituate (February 8, 1790), New Shoreham (February 8, 1790), Little Compton (February 8, 1790), West Greenwich (February 8, 1790), Exeter (February 8, 1790), East Greenwich (February 8, 1790), Coventry (February 8, 1790), Smithfield (Second Monday in February, 1790), Warwick (February 8, 1790), Tiverton (February 8, 1790) and Jamestown (February 26, 1790).
Resolution of Federal Constitution by Congress and ratification of Constitution by other States transmitted to the Governor of Rhode Island.
Includes Resolution of Congress putting the new Constitution into Operation (September 13, 1788).
Virginia - An Act Concerning the Convention to be held in June next. Passed December 12th, 1787. 2 copies with attached letter.
Virginia - Resolution that the proceedings of the Federal Convention be submitted to a Convention of the people for their full and free investigations, discussion and decision (Thursday October 25, 1787). With attached letter.
Virginia - letter dated June 28, 1788 announcing ratification.
Georgia - Letter dated February 20, 1788 - announcing the transmission of journal and proceedings of state convention on the proposed Federal Constitution to the Governor of Rhode Island.
North Carolina - extract of Journal of Proceedings of the State Convention (August 1, 1788) with attached letter dated August 1788.
Includes North Carolina - letter dated August 24, 1788 to the Governor of Rhode Island
Letter dated February 26, 1790 by Henry Ward Secretary of State to the Moderator of the Convention to be held in South Kingstown on the Fifth Monday in March 1790. Concerning the forwarding of papers relating to the Convention.
Massachusetts - ratification dated February 6, 1788
North Carolina - Extract from Proceedings of the General Assembly concerning the redemption of the paper currency. August 2, 1788.
North Carolina - Resolution to enact a similar impost as the impost enacted by the Congress, August 2, 1788.
Letter from the Secretary of the Congress to the Governor of Rhode Island dated November 28, 1787.
Proposed Amendments to the Constitution Bill of Rights - 2 leaves [1787?].
Includes Journal of the Convention of the State of Georgia on the Federal Constitution 1788. 20 pp..
Includes Present State of the Taxes – Jan. State Tax payable August 1, 1782. March 12, 1787 - 1 leaf.
Present State of the Taxes – Jan. State Tax payable August 1, 1782 May 5, 1786 - 1 leaf
Present State of the Taxes – Jan. State Tax payable August 1, 1782 Feb. 25, 1788 - 1 leaf
Rate of that part of the Continental Tax ordered in August 1785, which was to be paid in Interest Certificates, February 25, 1788 - 1 leaf
Present State of the Taxes - January State Tax payable August 1, 1782 May 7, 1885 - 1 leaf
Includes Petition to the Speaker of the General Assembly of Rhode Island from Brenton Perkins.
Benjamin Arnold letter to Convention, 1790
Rules and Orders June 1786 and October 1786.
Letter to the General Assembly [1787?] - 1 leaf
Note - unidentified - n.d.
A Dissertation on the reasons for Enacting and repealing of Laws. [author unknown], n.d.
[draft amendment to Constitution], n.d.
Constitution of Holland, [author unknown], n.d.
Petition of Bristol freemen to call a Convention, Last Monday of March 1788.
Includes notes/drafts by meeting of the General Assembly of proposed amendments to the Constitution.
Includes Ratification of the Constitution by the Convention of the State of Rhode Island Providence Plantations, May 29, 1790 - 3 leaves , encapsulated.
Includes a letter by John Hancock to Governor John Collins of Rhode Island regarding transmission of a copy of the proceedings of the convention of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and indicating ratification of the Constitution of the United States (February 16, 1788) and the proceedings of Virginia Convention upon new Constitution (June 1788); 4 leaves, 14 pp.
Includes ribbons from Virginia ratification.
Includes series descriptions on acidic paper taken from volume which housed records, 8 pp.