The Convention Nobody Expected

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was only supposed to fix the Articles. Instead, the delegates threw them out entirely and started from scratch:

• Only 55 of 74 appointed delegates actually showed up
• Rhode Island refused to send anyone at all
• Sessions were held in total secrecy — windows nailed shut in Philadelphia summer heat
• James Madison took obsessive notes that weren't published for 50 years

These men weren't following a grand plan. They were improvising, arguing, and compromising their way toward something no one had tried before. The most remarkable part was their willingness to bend on deeply held principles to keep the union alive.