The Constitutional Convention did not get off to an auspicious start. For the first twelve days, they convened only to adjourn until the following day because not enough states were represented. But by May 25, 1787, delegations from seven states had arrived in Philadelphia, and the Convention at last had the necessary quorum to conduct business. By the Convention’s close, there would be a total of 55 delegates, but only 30 of them were present on the first day of business. Those 30 delegates made three fateful decisions on the first day of the Convention. In a move that signaled the importance of the work before them, they first unanimously selected George Washington to preside over the Convention’s proceedings. The delegates’ collective knowledge of the theory and practice of government also led them to appoint a committee to draft standing rules of order for the Convention. Finally, they designated Major William Jackson to be the Convention’s secretary. Jackson would prove to be rather lax in his recordkeeping duties. Much of what we know about the creation of the Constitution comes from journals kept by other participants, most notably James Madison. On the first page of Madison’s journal [above] of the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, he recorded the delegates who made up that initial quorum and the states they represented. Massachusetts: Rufus King New York: Robert Yates, Alexander Hamilton New Jersey: David Brearly, William Churchill Houston, William Paterson Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Thomas Fitzsimons, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris Delaware: George Read, Richard Bassett, Jacob Broom Virginia: George Washington, Edmund Randolph, John Blair, James Madison, George Mason, George Wythe, James McClurg North Carolina: Alexander Martin, William Richardson Davie, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh Williamson South Carolina: John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler Georgia: William Few
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The Constitutional Convention did not get off to an auspicious start. For the first twelve days, they convened only to adjourn until the following day because not enough states were represented.

But by May 25, 1787, delegations from seven states had arrived in Philadelphia, and the Convention at last had the necessary quorum to conduct business. By the Convention’s close, there would be a total of 55 delegates, but only 30 of them were present on the first day of business.

Those 30 delegates made three fateful decisions on the first day of the Convention. In a move that signaled the importance of the work before them, they first unanimously selected George Washington to preside over the Convention’s proceedings. The delegates’ collective knowledge of the theory and practice of government also led them to appoint a committee to draft standing rules of order for the Convention. Finally, they designated Major William Jackson to be the Convention’s secretary.

Jackson would prove to be rather lax in his recordkeeping duties. Much of what we know about the creation of the Constitution comes from journals kept by other participants, most notably James Madison.

On the first page of Madison’s journal [above] of the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, he recorded the delegates who made up that initial quorum and the states they represented.

Massachusetts: Rufus King

New York: Robert Yates, Alexander Hamilton

New Jersey: David Brearly, William Churchill Houston, William Paterson

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Thomas Fitzsimons, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris

Delaware: George Read, Richard Bassett, Jacob Broom

Virginia: George Washington, Edmund Randolph, John Blair, James Madison, George Mason, George Wythe, James McClurg

North Carolina: Alexander Martin, William Richardson Davie, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh Williamson

South Carolina: John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler

Georgia: William Few

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