For nearly five months in 1787, the delegates to the Federal Convention in Philadelphia debated the various provisions of the proposed Constitution of the United States. Several of the Senate-related clauses proved to be particularly troublesome. What special powers and responsibilities would the Senate have in this new federal government? How would senators be chosen, and for how long would they serve? Would representation in the Senate be based upon a state's population, or would each state have an equal voice, regardless of size? It took the Great Compromise of 1787 to settle that issue, establishing a bicameral Congress with a different basis for representation in each chamber. To encourage a broader knowledge of the Constitution, Congress has designated September 17th of each year as Constitution Day.

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Oliver Ellsworth by Hezekiah Auger & Olie [Oliver] Ellsworth. by Unidentified after painting by Alonzo Chappel Johnson, Fry & Co.

Explore the Senate's collection of paintings, sculpture, graphic art, and decorative art.

Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the United States Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government. Its first three words –– "We the People" –– affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens. For over two centuries the Constitution has remained in force because its framers wisely separated and balanced governmental powers to safeguard the interests of majority rule and minority rights, of liberty and equality, and of the federal and state governments. More