On September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia for the last time to sign and ratify the Constitution for the United States of America. (Notice the British spelling of defence.) New York had one representative--Alexander Hamilton. Here are the famous words of the preamble:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
