The delegates to the Constitutional Convention shared two important qualities. What were they?

• A. Considerable political experience and a desire for a stronger national union
• B. Wealth and elite social status
• C. Military experience and frontier origins
• D. Religious piety and cultural homogeneity

Answer: (A)

Experience in government and a shared goal of strengthening the national government united the delegates at the Constitutional Convention. Most had served in colonial legislatures, the Continental Congress, or state constitutional conventions, giving them firsthand understanding of how governments function and where the Articles of Confederation fell short. They believed a stronger central government was necessary to address finances, defense, and foreign relations and to reconcile the states into a more effective union. While wealth, military background, or religious or cultural background varied among them, these specific qualities—longstanding governance experience and a commitment to a stronger national union—best describe why they came together to draft a new framework of government.