fbpx

Committees at the Constitutional Convention – The U.S. Constitution Online – USConstitution.net

Committees at the Constitutional Convention

Advertisement

Several notable committees met during the creation of the Constitution.
These committees are referred to in the Convention
Topic Page
and the Convention Timeline. This
page used James Madison’s notes from the
convention as source material for providing the members of these
committees.


Members of various committees in the Constitutional Convention

Rules Committee

Proposed and appointed May 25, to set
rules for the convention

  • Alexander Hamilton (NY)
  • Charles Pinkney (SC)
  • George Wythe (VA)

First Committee of Eleven

Proposed and appointed July 2, on the
question of equal represenation in the Senate

  • Abraham Baldwin (GA)
  • Gunning Bedford (DE)
  • William Davie (NC)
  • Oliver Ellsworth (CT)
  • Benjamin Franklin (PA)
  • Elbridge Gerry (MA)
  • Luther Martin (MD)
  • George Mason (VA)
  • William Paterson (NJ)
  • John Rutledge (SC)
  • Robert Yates (NY)

Committee of Detail

Proposed July
23
, members appointed July 24, to create
a constitution containing all issues agreed to by the convention

Result: August 6 Draft

  • Oliver Ellsworth (CT)
  • Nathaniel Gorham (MA)
  • Edmund Randolph (VA)
  • John Rutledge (SC)
  • James Wilson (PA)

Second Committee of Eleven

Proposed and appointed August 25, to
consider issues concerning uniform duties and fees

  • Pierce Butler (SC)
  • Daniel Carrol (MD)
  • Jonathan Dayton (NJ)
  • William Few (GA)
  • Thomas Fitzsimons (PA)
  • Nathaniel Gorham (MA)
  • John Langdon (NH)
  • George Mason (VA)
  • George Read (DE)
  • Roger Sherman (CT)
  • Hugh Williamson (NC)

Third Committee of Eleven

Proposed and appointed August 31, to
address tabled issues and committee reports not yet acted upon

  • Abraham Baldwin (GA)
  • David Brearly (NJ)
  • Pierce Butler (SC)
  • Daniel Carrol (MD)
  • John Dickinson (DE)
  • Nicholas Gilman (NH)
  • Rufus King (MA)
  • James Madison (VA)
  • Gouvernour Morris (PA)
  • Roger Sherman (CT)
  • Hugh Williamson (NC)

Committee of Style and Arrangement

Proposed and appointed September 8, to
revise the style and arrangement of the Constitution

Result: September 12 Draft