Convention Procedure for Considering Draft of Constitution

I. Introduction of Virginia and Pinckney Plans to Convention

II. Referral of Virginia Plan and Pinckney Plans to “Committee of the Whole” (=”Committee of the Whole House”) on May 29, 1787, for point-by-point consideration.

III. Amended Draft Reported to the Whole House by the Committee on June 13, 1787, to be taken up by the Whole House, point-by-point

IV. New Jersey Plan presented to Convention by Paterson on June 15, 1787. Referred to Committee of the Whole. Virginia Plan re-committed to Committee of the whole for comparison.’

V. Comparison begins on June 16^th. Major speeches by Lansing (NY), Paterson (NJ), Wilson (PA), Randolph (VA) on direction to be taken by Convention: confederation or VA Plan.

VI. Dickinson on June 18^th moves to postpone consideration of Paterson and consider new proposal; agreed to. Hamilton then presents his Plan.

VII. Dickinson proposal rejected; Paterson Plan on floor. Major speech by Madison. Convention agreed to generally postponing consideration to NJ Plan; convention agreed to re-report VA Plan, as amended (now in the form of 19 resolutions. (Res. 7 and 8—suffrage for both legislature houses—of particular interest=15 days.)

VIII. Gerry Committee reports the 1¶ Connecticut Compromise, July 5^th

IX. Reworked resolutions referred to Committee of Detail, along w/ NJ Plan and Pinckney Plan, on July 26; Convention recessed

X. Report of the Committee of Detail, August 6^th: the “Constitution” in 23 articles

XI. Various committee reports: Detail (Rutledge), Grand Committee (Sherman), Committee of Eleven (Brearley), Committee of Five (Rutledge)

XII. Referral to Committee of Revision/Style, September 8^th

XIII. Report of the Committee of Revision/Style (Johnson), September 12^th : the Constitution in 7 articles

XIV. Constitution signed; Convention adjourns, September 17^th