Hillsborough Convention

Hillsborough Convention was a significant political gathering that took place in Hillsborough, North Carolina in 1788. The convention was convened to deliberate on the United States Constitution that had been proposed a year earlier in 1787.

Background

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 had proposed a new constitution to replace the Articles of Confederation. The proposed constitution was to be ratified by conventions in each state. The Hillsborough Convention was North Carolina's ratifying convention.

Proceedings

The Hillsborough Convention convened on July 21, 1788, with 270 delegates from across North Carolina. The convention was presided over by Samuel Johnston, who was then the Governor of North Carolina. The delegates were divided into two factions: the Federalists, who supported the proposed constitution, and the Anti-Federalists, who opposed it.

The Federalists, led by James Iredell and William Davie, argued that the new constitution would provide a stronger and more efficient government than the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-Federalists, led by Willie Jones and Timothy Bloodworth, expressed concerns about the proposed constitution, particularly its lack of a Bill of Rights and the potential for the federal government to infringe on states' rights.

Outcome

After extensive debate, the convention voted on August 2, 1788, to neither ratify nor reject the proposed constitution. Instead, the convention proposed a list of amendments and a declaration of rights to be added to the constitution. The proposed amendments included protections for freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to a trial by jury, among others.

The convention's decision was a significant setback for the Federalists. North Carolina was the only state to neither ratify nor reject the proposed constitution at its first ratifying convention. The state would not ratify the constitution until November 1789, after the Bill of Rights had been proposed by the first United States Congress.

Legacy

The Hillsborough Convention is remembered as a significant event in the history of the United States Constitution. The convention's proposed amendments and declaration of rights contributed to the development of the Bill of Rights. The convention also highlighted the deep divisions over the proposed constitution and the ongoing debate over the balance of power between the federal government and the states.