Drafting of the U.S. Constitution & Bill of Rights

Notes

• by William Jackson—official recording secretary
  • Basically only recorded delegates’ votes
  • Finally printed, by order of Congress, in 1819
• by James Madison: 
  • Took most complete set of notes, but not that complete itself (brevity of notes shows much was omitted)
  • Not published until 1840, after his death
  • Background essays on his notes:
    • from the Encyclopedia of the American Constitution
    • from the Library of Congress
  • Images of his original notes
    • from the Library of Congress (LC): newer images; older images Part I and Part II
    • from ConSource: pairs LC high-resolution images with corresponding plain-text, searchable transcriptions in digital library; also organized chronologically 
  • Available in multiple editions, usually by its initial published title, Journal of the Federal Convention, or as Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787; a notable online version is available from TeachingAmericanHistory.org
• by others--some available onlinef rom Avalon Project:
  • Alexander Hamilton
  • Rufus King
  • John Lansing--The Delegate from New York: JK141 1967
  • James McHenry
  • William Paterson
  • William Pierce
  • Robert Yates—generally considered unreliable

Plans

• Alexander Hamilton's Plan: variant texts
• New Jersey/Paterson Plan: variant texts
• South Carolina/Pinckney Plan: text
• Virginia/Randolph Plan: variant texts

Committees: Overview of committees and their activities (from TeachingAmericanHistory.org)

• 12 committees in total
• Committee of Detail
  • 5 man committee led by John Rutledge of SC
  • Submitted draft Aug. 6, 1787 as printed broadside
  • Reflects deliberations up to that point
• Committee of Style
  • Submitted draft Sept. 12, 1787, at end of Convention
  • Few changes were made

Farrand's Records (Records of the Federal Convention of 1787)

• Originally 4 vols. (but only use 1-3): KF 4510 U54
• Supplement to Max Farrand...; replaces earlier vol. 4: KF 4510 U542 1987
• Vols. 1-3 are online through the Library of Congress

Continental Congress was ongoing during the Convention.

Journals of the Continental Congress

• Print: PCL: J 10 A5
• Online:
  • HeinOnline
  • Library of Congress

Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774-1789

• Print: PCL: JK 1033 L47
• Online: Library of Congress

Independence Hall in Philadelphia was where the Constitutional Convention took place in 1787. Google's World Wonders Project provides a multimedia overview of the historic site, including 3D models and YouTube videos, such as the one below from the National Park Service.