Mount Vernon Conference

Mount Vernon Conference‏‎

The Mount Vernon Conference‏‎ was a meeting of delegates from Virginia and Maryland held March 25–28, 1785. The meeting, held at George Washington's plantation, Mount Vernon, was an important precursor to the Constitutional Convention that would take place two years later.

Background

In the years following the American Revolutionary War, states faced numerous issues regarding interstate trade and navigation rights. These issues were particularly problematic for Maryland and Virginia, which shared the Potomac River as a border. The Mount Vernon Conference was convened to address these issues.

Conference

The conference was attended by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other notable figures of the time. The delegates discussed issues such as navigation rights, interstate trade, and mutual defense. The conference resulted in the Mount Vernon Compact, an agreement between Virginia and Maryland that established mutual rights to the Potomac River.

Aftermath and Significance

The Mount Vernon Conference was significant as it demonstrated the need for broader interstate cooperation and led to the calling of the Annapolis Convention the following year. This, in turn, paved the way for the Constitutional Convention and the creation of the United States Constitution.

See also

• Annapolis Convention (1786)
• Constitutional Convention (United States)
• History of the United States Constitution

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  Mount Vernon seen from the river
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  View of Potomac River from Mount Vernon