Like most Philly crowds, the one surrounding Independence Hall 231 years ago Monday was amped. The infant nation was floundering. The United States were anything but. America’s first governing document, the Articles of Confederation, had created a “league of friendship” among states, but the former colonies hadn’t coalesced into a country. A constitutional reboot was crucial.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 16, 2018 20:26 UTC