What significant event occurred during the Philadelphia Convention in May 1787?

The significant event that occurred during the Philadelphia Convention in May 1787 was the creation of the United States Constitution. This convention was convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, which had proved inadequate in governing the growing nation.

Delegates from various states gathered in Philadelphia with the aim of drafting a new governing document that would provide a stronger federal structure and effectively balance the needs of both individual states and the national government. Over the course of the convention, several key compromises were made, leading to the establishment of a framework that created a federal system with separated powers, checks and balances, and a bicameral legislature. By September 1787, this new Constitution was completed and signed, setting the stage for its subsequent ratification by the states.

The other choices listed refer to events that either occurred before or after the 1787 convention. The Articles of Confederation had already been ratified prior to the Philadelphia Convention. The Bill of Rights, which consists of the first ten amendments to the Constitution, was not drafted until after the Constitution itself was established in 1789. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 and recognized American independence, making it unrelated to the events in Philadelphia in 1787.