For seventeen weeks, from May 25th to September 17th, delegates debated the details of the proposed Constitution. The primary debate centered around the balance of power between a stronger federal government and the retention of power by the states.

The final draft of the Constitution was a culmination of compromises. The establishment of two houses in Congress, one based on population (the House of Representatives) and the other on the number of states (the Senate), was a compromise between states with large and small populations. The creation of the Electoral College arose as a compromise between advocates for direct presidential elections and those who preferred that Congress elect the President.

Contention also arose regarding whether slaves should be counted in state population assessments. The compromise reached allowed states to count slaves as three-fifths of a person for calculating their total populations.

It was agreed that slave importation could continue until 1807, after which Congress could prohibit it.

Despite disagreements on various issues, there was a consensus on the need for a stronger government. While the United States under the Articles of Confederation was a loose confederation of states, the Constitution transformed it into a firm union of people.

Contrary to the Articles of Confederation, which lacked a practical means for amendment, the Constitution required only a two-thirds majority of states to ratify a constitutional amendment. Additionally, while the Articles of Confederation needed a two-thirds majority for Congress to pass a bill, the Constitution stipulated a simple majority for bill passage.

Crucially, the Constitution granted extensive executive powers to the newly-created office of the President and empowered Congress to impose taxes. It also established a federal judiciary and bestowed upon the federal government the authority to enforce laws.