Documents Illustrative of the Formation of the Union of the American States

Resolution of the General Assembly of Virginia, proposing a joint meeting of commissioners from the States to consider and recommend a Federal plan for regulating commerce

Selected, Arranged, and Indexed by Charles C. Tansill

January 21, 1786

A motion was made, that the House do come to the following resolution:

Resolved, That Edmund Randolph, James Madison, jun. Walter Jones, Saint George Tucker and Meriwether Smith, Esquires, be appointed commissioners, who, or any three of whom, shall meet such commissioners as may be appointed by the other States in the Union, at a time and place to be agreed on, to take into consideration the trade of the United States; to examine the relative situations and trade of the said States; to consider how far a uniform system in their commercial regulations may be necessary to their common interest and their permanent harmony; and to report to the several States, such an act relative to this great object, as, when unanimously ratified by them, will enable the United States in Congress, effectually to provide for the same.

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Contents

General Overview

In 1787 and 1788, following the Constitutional Convention, a great debate took place throughout America over the Constitution that had been proposed.

In-Doors Debate

View Gordon Lloyd’s in-depth studies of of the Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York state ratifying conventions.

The Federal Pillars

View the Massachusetts Centinel’sdrawings of the federal pillars rising during the ratification debate.

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State-by-State Ratification Table

View the six stages of the ratification of the Constitution with links to many other features on this site.

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Interactive Ratification Map

View the Federalist-Antifederalist breakdown of each state during the ratification debate.

View Interactive

50 Documents That Tell America’s Story

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