Creating the United States

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In the final days of the Constitutional Convention, as delegates rushed to complete work on the final draft of the Constitution, George Mason of Virginia and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts proposed that the Constitution be “prefaced with a bill of rights.” On September 12, 1787, after little debate, the proposal was unanimously rejected by the delegates as unnecessary to protect individual rights. James Madison recorded Benjamin Franklin’s doubts five days later.

(Transcription)

“Mr. Randolph could not but regard the signing . . .”


In the final days of the Constitutional Convention, as delegates rushed to complete work on the final draft of the Constitution, George Mason of Virginia and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts proposed that the Constitution be “prefaced with a bill of rights.” On September 12, 1787, after little debate, the proposal was unanimously rejected by the delegates as unnecessary to protect individual rights. James Madison recorded Benjamin Franklin’s doubts five days later.