Who was the main author of the Constitution?
Fifty-five delegates met in Philadelphia in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation. Many of the nation's most influential men were present, including George Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin. Madison became the chief author of the Constitution. These men are commonly called the Framers or Founding Fathers. Instead of merely revising the Articles of Confederation, the delegates soon decided to create an entirely new document, the Constitution of the United States.