This year marks the 238th anniversary of the Constitutional Convention, which began on May 14, 1787, and lasted until Sept. 17, 1787.
On Monday, Aug. 6, 1787, the convention accepted the very first draft of the U.S. Constitution. On Sept. 17, 1787, after weeks of debate over issues like slavery, representation and government power, the U.S. Constitution was finally signed by the delegates and ratified by the states in 1788.
Throughout that process more than two centuries ago, our historic Hudson Valley - specifically Poughkeepsie - played a pivotal role. It was a hotspot for debate as Federalists and Anti-Federalists in New York contemplated ratification of the U.S. Constitution. As delegates met and debated at the Poughkeepsie Convention in 1788, leaders of the Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions emerged.
The majority faction, the Anti-Federalists, was led by Gov. George Clinton, a widely supported politician from the Hudson Valley. He and other members of the majority faction believed in a federal government controlled by the people and the unwavering protection of individual liberties. The minority faction, the Federalists, was led by Alexander Hamilton, and they argued a strong federal government was necessary for economic stability.
Ultimately, the delegates met somewhere in the middle.
The Poughkeepsie Convention ended with a compromise: New York state ratified the U.S. Constitution on July 26, 1788, making it the 11th state to do so, but Anti-Federalist delegates requested another convention to consider possible amendments. The letter that was sent from Poughkeepsie seeking amendments to the U.S. Constitution laid the groundwork for the Bill of Rights.
To commemorate the political prowess and compromise of our Founding Fathers and celebrate the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, a truly historic milestone, each year, I proudly sponsor a resolution in the New York State Assembly declaring Sept. 17 through Sept. 23 Constitution Week.
The U.S. Constitution is the foundation our nation’s democracy, government, freedoms and principles are built on. Unlike any government that came before it, our Founding Fathers created a democratic republic and enshrined the rights and freedoms of every citizen on every founding document. Our system of checks and balances was established, our freedom of speech protected, our rights as a unified people safeguarded. The U.S. Constitution replaced a failed system of government, the Articles of Confederation, and paved the way for a brighter future and thriving nation we all continue to improve upon and enjoy more than 230 years later.
Join me in celebrating Constitution Week here in the 98th Assembly District!
Assemblyman Karl Brabenec
N.Y.S. 98th District