Why were most industrialized nations building empires in the late 1800s and early 1900s? to increase their overall populations and build their political bases

to locate new ports to serve as naval bases

to develop new markets and locate additional natural resources

to improve their options for communication with other nations

in february 1787, congress decided that a convention should be convened to revise the articles of confederation, the nation’s first constitution. in may, 55 delegates came to philadelphia, and the constitutional convention began. debates erupted over representation in congress, over slavery, and over the new executive branch. the debates continued through four hot and muggy months. but eventually the delegates reached compromises, and on september 17, they produced the u.s. constitution, replacing the articles with the governing document that has functioned effectively for more than 200 years.