What was the original plan of the Constitutional Convention?

• A. To amend the Articles of Confederation
• B. To declare independence
• C. To draft a completely new constitution
• D. To abolish the government

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is that the delegates were sent to Philadelphia to fix the existing system by amending the Articles of Confederation, not to throw it out or start from scratch. The Articles left the national government too weak to handle taxes, defense, and interstate commerce, so the organizers’ intent was to revise them to strengthen the central authority. That’s why the best answer is that the original plan was to amend the Articles. As talks progressed, delegates realized more fundamental changes were needed, which ultimately led to drafting a new framework, but the initial instruction itself was to revise the Articles. The other options don’t fit the starting goal: independence had already been declared earlier, abolishing the government would defeat the purpose of uniting the states, and a completely new constitution wasn’t the original plan—though that is what eventually emerged.