At the Constitutional Convention, held in Philadelphia from May to September 1787, delegates from all states except Rhode Island gathered to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and ultimately decided to draft a new Constitution for the United States

. Key outcomes and events at the Convention included:

• Decision to Replace the Articles of Confederation: The delegates agreed that the existing government under the Articles was inadequate and that a new framework was needed

• Debate Over Representation: There was intense debate between large states, which wanted representation based on population, and small states, which wanted equal representation. This was resolved by the "Great Compromise" (or Connecticut Compromise), which created a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation for each state

• Creation of Three Branches of Government: The Constitution established a federal government with three separate branches-legislative, executive, and judicial-to ensure a system of checks and balances so no one branch could dominate

• Executive Power: The delegates designed the presidency with limited powers, including a veto that Congress could override, and created the Electoral College system to select the president. George Washington was expected to be the first president

• Slavery and Commerce Compromises: The Convention addressed contentious issues like slavery and commerce. The "Three-Fifths Compromise" counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes. The slave trade was allowed to continue until 1808, after which Congress could ban it. Commerce regulation was given to the federal government to promote economic unity

• Ratification and Amendments: The Constitution required ratification by nine of the thirteen states to become law. Provisions were set for citizenship requirements for Congress and the presidency, and a process to amend the Constitution was established

• Secrecy and Signing: The delegates conducted their debates in secrecy, closing the windows of the State House. Ultimately, 39 of the 55 delegates signed the Constitution, though some refused without a Bill of Rights, which was promised later

In summary, the Constitutional Convention was a pivotal event where delegates negotiated and compromised on the structure and powers of the new federal government, producing the United States Constitution that replaced the Articles of Confederation and laid the foundation for the nation's government