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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Constitutional Convention, 1787 Constitution [printing of first draft, docketed by James Wilson]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00528 Author/Creator: Constitutional Convention, 1787 Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Document Date: [ 06 August 1787 ] Pagination: [1 blank] 5 leaves Height: 39.5 cm, Width: 25.2 cm Order a Copy

First two leaves in facsimile, with docketed wrapper. Committee of Detail printing. First draft. Wilson chaired the Committee of Five which drafted this copy of the Constitution. With one correction in Wilson's hand. Docket on blank wrapper: "Report of the Committee of five. Later docket beneath: "Above endorsement is in the handwriting of Hon. James Wilson -- so his grand-daughter Miss Emily Hollingsworth tells me. Sept. 1. 1866 - Effingham B. Morris." Printed by Dunlap and Claypoole

Wilson, James, 1742-1798

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