Though the word "slavery" does not appear in the Constitution, the issue was central to the debates over commerce and representation. The "Three-Fifths Compromise" provided that three-fifths (60%) of enslaved people in each state would count toward congressional representation, which greatly increased the number of congressional seats in several states, particularly in the South.
The Convention also debated whether to allow the new federal government to ban the importation of enslaved people from outside of the United States, including directly from Africa. They ultimately agreed to allow Congress to ban it, should it choose, but not before twenty years had passed. Remarkably, it was one of the only clauses of the Constitution that could not be amended. Only in 1808 did the United States formally prohibit the international slave trade.
Learn moreThe Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States, on November 15, 1777, but the states did not ratify them until March 1, 1781. The Articles created a loose confederation of sovereign states and a weak central government, leaving most of the power with the state governments. Once peace removed the rationale of wartime necessity the weaknesses of the 1777 Articles of Confederation became increasingly apparent. Divisions among the states and even local rebellions threatened to destroy the fruits of the Revolution. Nationalists, led by James Madison, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Wilson, almost immediately began working toward strengthening the federal government. They turned a series of regional commercial conferences into a national constitutional convention at Philadelphia in 1787.
“An opinion begins to prevail that a general convention for revising the articles of Confederation would be expedient.”
John Jay to George Washington, March 16, 1786
Benjamin Franklin’s Proposed Plan of Confederation, 1775
Benjamin Franklin. Plan for a Confederation, July 21, 1775. Printed document annotated by Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division. Library of Congress (46.01.01) [Digital ID#s us0046a_2, us0046a, us0046a_1]
Discover!
Writing the Articles of Confederation
Thomas Jefferson. Notes on Debates in the Continental Congress, June 7–August 1, 1776 [ante 1781]. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (046.05.01) [Digital ID#s us0046_05p1, us0046_05a]
Read the transcript
Thomas Jefferson. “Notes of Proceedings in Congress on Drafting the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union,” [July 12–August 1, 1776]. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (046.03.00) [Digital ID# us0046_03p1]
Articles of Confederation Emerge from Congress in 1777
United States Continental Congress. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union Between the States. . . . Lancaster: Francis Bailey, 1777. Pamphlet. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (048.05.00) [Digital ID# us0048_05]
Articles of Confederation Ratified
[United States Continental Congress]. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union Between the States of. . . . Williamsburg, Virginia: J. Dixon & W. Hunter, 1778. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (048.04.00) [Digital ID# us0048_04]
Articles of Confederation Ratified
Confederation Congress Elects A President
Letter from Charles Thomson to George Washington, November 5, 1781. Manuscript. George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (48.01.00) [Digital ID# us0048_01]
Discover!
Northwest Ordinance Prohibits Slavery
Committee of Congress. Draft Report of Northwest Ordinance, March 1784. Broadside with emendations by Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (49.00.00) [Digital ID# us0049]
New States in the West and Northwest
Thomas Jefferson. Plan for Boundaries in Western Territory, [1784]. Manuscript document. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (49.01.00) [Digital ID# us0049_01]
Congress Drafts Northwest Ordinance
Discover!
Call to Revise Articles of Confederation
Letter from John Jay to George Washington, March 16, 1786. Manuscript. George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (50.00.00) [Digital ID# us0050]
“The Source of the Evil is the Nature of the Government”
Letter from Henry Knox to George Washington, December 17, 1786. Manuscript. George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (50.01.00) [Digital ID#s us0050_01p1, us0050_01p2, us0050_01p3]
Madison and Washington Consider Confederation
Annapolis Meeting Leads to a Broader National Convention
Letter from James Madison to James Monroe, September 11, 1786. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (51.01.00) [Digital ID# us0051_01]
Financial Crisis Fears
Letter from James Monroe to James Madison, September 12, 1786. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (051.02.00) [Digital ID# us0051_02p1]
Washington and Madison Plan for a New Government
Setting for the Creation of the Federal Constitution
Independence Hall
William Birch & Son. “High Street, from Ninth Street,” from The City of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania, North America, As it Appeared in the Year 1800. . . . Hand-colored engraving. Springland, Pennsylvania: William Birch and Son, 1800. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (54.00.02) [Digital ID# us0054_04]
William Birch & Son. “State-house with a View of Chestnut Street, Philadelphia” from The City of Philadelphia . . . Hand-colored engraving. Philadelphia: William Birch & Son, 1800. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (54.00.00) [Digital ID# us0054]
William Birch & Son. “Back of the State-house,” from The City of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania, North America, As it Appeared in the Year 1800. . . . Hand-colored engraving. Springland, Pennsylvania: William Birch and Son, 1800. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (54.00.01) [Digital ID# us0054_1]
Congress Adopts the Northwest Ordinance
United States Continental Congress. Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the U.S. Northwest of the Ohio. New York, 1787. Broadside. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (049.04.00) [Digital ID# us0049_04]
Congress Adopts the Northwest Ordinance
United States Continental Congress. An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the U.S. Northwest of the Ohio. New York: 1787. Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress (049.03.00) [Digital ID# us0049_03]
Crucible for the Creation of the American Republic
Fear of Wasting George Washington’s Political Capital
Letter from James Madison to Edmund Randolph, April 15, 1787. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (052.02.00) [Digital ID# us0052_02]
Read the transcript
Fear of Wasting Washington’s Political Capital
Letter from John Dawson to James Madison, April 15, 1787. Manuscript. James Madison Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (052.03.00) [Digital ID# us0052_03]
Read the transcript
Not Worth a Continental
United States Continental Congress. Paper currency, 1775–1777. Printed by Hall and Sellers; Rhode Island. Paper Currency, 1786. Printed by Southwick and Barber. Marian Carson Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (136.00.00) [Digital ID # us0136]
United States Continental Congress. Paper currency, 1775–1777. Printed by Hall and Sellers; Rhode Island. Paper Currency, 1786. Printed by Southwick and Barber. Marian Carson Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (136.01.00) [Digital ID# us0136_01]
United States Continental Congress. Paper currency, 1775–1777. Printed by Hall and Sellers; Rhode Island. Paper Currency, 1786. Printed by Southwick and Barber. Marian Carson Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (136.02.00) [Digital ID# us0136_02]
United States Continental Congress. Paper currency, 1775–1777. Printed by Hall and Sellers; Rhode Island. Paper Currency, 1786. Printed by Southwick and Barber. Marian Carson Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (136.03.00) [Digital ID# us0136_03]
United States Continental Congress. Paper currency, 1775–1777. Printed by Hall and Sellers; Rhode Island. Paper Currency, 1786. Printed by Southwick and Barber. Marian Carson Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (136.04.00) [Digital ID# us0136_04]
United States Continental Congress. Paper currency, 1775–1777. Printed by Hall and Sellers; Rhode Island. Paper Currency, 1786. Printed by Southwick and Barber. Marian Carson Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (136.05.00) [Digital ID# us0136_05]
Plans to Revise the Articles of Confederation
Letter from Rufus King to Nathan Dane, September 17, 1785. Manuscript. Nathan Dane Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (051.03.00) [Digital ID# us0051_03p2]
Read the transcript
Washington Voices Doubts About a “general Convention”
Letter from George Washington to John Jay, May 18, 1786. Letter book. George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (050.03.00) [Digital ID# us0050_03]
Read the transcript
Thomas Jefferson on Black Education
Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Robert Pleasants, [August 27, 1796]. Manuscript. Thomas Jefferson Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress (048.03.00) [Digital ID# us0048_03]