The Origins of the Constitutional Convention

US History – The Origins of the Constitution and the Constitutional Convention, 1787

In this course, Professor Woody Holton (University of South Carolina) explores the origins of US Constitution and the differing ideological positions on the structure and function of the federal government in this period. We start by looking at both the internal and external reasons for a new federal government. We then turn to explore how the Constitution differed from the Articles of Confederation. After this, we turn to examine the nine battles of the Constitutional Convention.

The Origins of the Constitutional Convention

In this module, we explore why the Constitution was needed in the first place. The reason for this are both external and internal, and include: (i) trade wars between the states; (ii) actual war between the states; (iii) an "excess of democracy"; (iv) piracy; (v) the British threat; (vi) the Spanish threat; (vii) the Native American threat.