The 55 delegates who traveled to Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 were not ordinary citizens. Most had prior government experience, either in state legislatures, the Continental Congress, or the Continental Army during the Revolution. Four-fifths were members of the Continental Congress, and eight signed the Declaration of Independence. Many were lawyers, merchants, or landowners. About half had attended college at a time when very few Americans did. A number of them also held enslaved people on their farms and plantations. The average age of the delegates was 42, though they ranged in age from 26 to 81. Despite their varied backgrounds and experiences, all 55 delegates were white men who owned property.
Some of the most influential figures in America made the journey. George Washington, the most respected man in the nation, was unanimously chosen to lead the proceedings. James Madison arrived, having spent years studying how governments around the world had succeeded and failed. Benjamin Franklin, at 81, the oldest delegate, lent the gathering both credibility and wisdom. Others who might have attended, including Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, were serving as diplomats in Europe and could not make the trip. Some delegates chosen by their states decided not to serve. Others left before the convention ended.
The one state that refused to participate was Rhode Island. Its leaders feared that a stronger national government would threaten its citizens' rights and override decisions the state had the power to make on its own. Rhode Island's absence sparked strong criticism from other states. Many viewed it as a sign of the dysfunction the convention aimed to address.
In all, 55 delegates representing 12 of the 13 states convened with the intention of revising the Articles of Confederation in the summer of 1787.