Constitutional Convention

American  

noun

1. the convention in Philadelphia (1787) of representatives from each of the former Colonies, except Rhode Island, at which the Constitution of the United States was framed.

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Constitutional Convention Cultural  

1. The gathering that drafted the Constitution of the United States in 1787; all states were invited to send delegates. The convention, meeting in Philadelphia, designed a government with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It established Congress as a lawmaking body with two houses: each state is given two representatives in the Senate, whereas representation in the House of Representatives is based on population.

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Example Sentences

The Constitutional Convention was symbolically presided over by the retired Gen. George Washington, who sat throughout in a chair with a gilded half sun at its top.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

Benjamin Franklin, when asked what kind of government had been delivered to the new republic after the 1787 Constitutional Convention, offered a timeless warning: “A republic, if you can keep it.”

From Barron's • Oct. 24, 2025

More than a century ago, the historian Charles Beard told the story of a Constitutional Convention dominated by an “elite” group determined to protect its property and economic standing.

From Salon • Oct. 21, 2025

A refresher: At the Constitutional Convention, Southern delegates opposed direct elections of presidents.

From Slate • Oct. 15, 2024

As soon as we are all in our seats, Mr. Fabian begins talking about the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari