DELAWARE

By: Ignacio Guzman

Philadelphia Convention of 1787

The official purpose of the Constitutional Convention
that met in Philadelphia was to amend the Articles of
Confederation. It had become clear that the Articles of
Confederation were not a good enough constitution for
the new nation. So the state delegates worked on
making a new Constitution for the Unted stated.

Delegates at the Philadelphia

Convention For Delaware
There were 5 delegates at he Philadelphia Convention
representing Delaware. They were:
Richard Bassett
Gunning Bedford Jr.
Jacob Broom
John Dickson
George Read

Richard Bassett

Richard Bassett was a federalist

He signed the constitution
In the Delaware ratifying convention, he
joined in the 30-0 vote for the Constitution.
Attended diligently but made no speeches,
served on no committees, and cast no
critical votes.

After the Constitutional Convention

From 1793 until 1799 Bassett held the chief justiceship of the court of common
pleas. He espoused the Federalist cause in the 1790s, and served as a
Presidential elector on behalf of John Adams in 1797. Two years later, Bassett
was elected Governor of Delaware and continued in that post until 1801.

Gunning Bedford Jr.

George Bedford was an antifederalist
Signed the constitution
Spoke on several occasions
Member of the committee that drafted the Great
Compromise.
He attacked the pretensions of the large states over the
small.

After the Constitutional Convention:

Bedford continued as Delaware's attorney general. In 1789

Washington designated him as a federal district judge for his
state, an office he was to occupy for the rest of his life.

Jacob Broom
Jacob Broom was a federalist
Signed the constitution
Never missed a session and spoke on several
occasions
His role was only a minor role

After the Constitutional

Convention:
After the convention, Broom returned to Wilmington,
where in 1795 he erected a home near the
Brandywine River on the outskirts of the city. For

George Read

George Read was a federalist

He signed the constitution
Missed few if any sessions and championed the rights of the
small states
He signed the Constitution twice, signing once for himself
and once for John Dickinson who was home sick with a
migraine.
He later led the ratification movement in Delaware, the first
state to ratify.

After the Constitutional

InConvention
the U.S. Senate (1789-93), Read's attendance was again

erratic, but when present he allied with the Federalists. He

resigned to accept the post of chief justice of Delaware. He held it
until his death at New Castle 5 years later, just 3 days after he
celebrated his 65th birthday.

John Dickinson

John Dickson was a federalist

He didnt really sign the Constitution, his friend George
Read Signed for him.
Dickinson's voice was strong, setting forth a defense
of small states, a position that led to the Great
Compromise in congressional representation.
Dickinson's involvement in state and federal matters
never slackened.
Helped engineer the Great Compromise

Dickinson lived for two decades more but held no

public offices. Instead, he devoted himself to
writing on politics and in 1801 published two
volumes of his collected works. He died at

Delaware Today
Today, citizens in southern Delaware tend
to vote more conservative and those in the
north lean more towards the liberal side. It
is known as a Conservative State.