Hillsborough Convention of 1788

E166664

The Hillsborough Convention of 1788 was a gathering of North Carolina delegates who debated but initially refused to ratify the newly drafted U.S. Constitution, reflecting strong Anti-Federalist concerns.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Hillsborough Convention of 1788 canonical 2

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf political event
ratifying convention
adoptedAction recommended a second convention after amendments were considered
resolved neither to ratify nor to reject the Constitution formally
consideredDocument United States Constitution
context post–American Revolutionary War constitutional settlement
convenedBy North Carolina General Assembly
country United States of America
followedBy Fayetteville Convention of 1789
hasApproximateDate July–August 1788
hasEndDate 1788-08-04
hasStartDate 1788-07-21
historicalSignificance contributed to pressure for adoption of the United States Bill of Rights
delayed North Carolina’s ratification of the United States Constitution
illustrated strength of Anti-Federalist sentiment in North Carolina
jurisdictionDiscussed powers of the proposed federal government over the states
locatedIn Hillsborough, North Carolina
Orange County, North Carolina
North Carolina
surface form: State of North Carolina
mainSubject ratification of the United States Constitution by North Carolina
notableAntiFederalistDelegate David Caldwell
Samuel Spencer
Timothy Bloodworth
Willie Jones
notableFederalistDelegate James Iredell Sr.
surface form: James Iredell

William Lenoir
William R. Davie
numberOfDelegates approximately 270
partOf process of ratification of the United States Constitution
politicalAlignmentMajority Anti-Federalist
politicalAlignmentMinority Federalists
surface form: Federalist
precededBy drafting of the United States Constitution in Philadelphia Convention of 1787
presidentOfConvention Samuel Johnston
primaryLanguage English
proposedChange demand for a declaration of rights
proposed amendments to limit federal judicial power
proposed amendments to restrict federal taxing power
proposed amendments to secure trial by jury and other procedural rights
reasonForNonRatification absence of a bill of rights in the original Constitution
concerns about consolidation of power in the federal government
concerns about representation and size of congressional districts
concerns over federal control of taxation
concerns over standing armies in peacetime
fears for protection of individual liberties
relatedEvent New York Ratifying Convention
surface form: New York ratifying convention

Virginia Ratifying Convention
result refusal to ratify the United States Constitution in 1788
secretaryOfConvention John Hay
stateStatusAtTime North Carolina ratifying conventions for the U.S. Constitution
surface form: North Carolina remained outside the Union until 1789

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Fayetteville Convention of 1789 followed Hillsborough Convention of 1788