what did delegates at the constitutional convention hope to accomplish

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http://teachingamericanhistory.org/convention/

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The delegates at the Constitutional Convention, which took place in Philadelphia in 1787, had several goals and hopes in mind. Their primary objective was to design a new framework for the government of the United States, as the existing governing document, the Articles of Confederation, was considered inadequate and ineffective.

The delegates hoped to accomplish the following things:

1. Create a stronger central government: One of the major weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was that it established a weak central government with limited powers. The delegates aimed to design a stronger national government that could effectively address the needs of the country.

2. Balance power between the states and the federal government: The delegates recognized the importance of balancing power between the federal government and the states. They sought to establish a system in which the federal government could address national issues, while still granting significant powers to individual states.

3. Establish a system of checks and balances: The delegates were concerned about the potential for abuse of power, so they wanted to create a system of checks and balances to prevent one branch of government from becoming too powerful. This system would ensure that each branch—the legislative, executive, and judicial—would have the ability to limit the powers of the others.

4. Protect individual rights: While the primary focus of the convention was designing a government structure, some delegates believed that it was important to include protections for individual rights in the framework of the government. This ultimately led to the addition of the Bill of Rights to the Constitution after its ratification.

To get a more comprehensive understanding of this topic, you can refer to historical documents, such as James Madison's notes on the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, and read books or articles that discuss the intentions and objectives of the delegates.