In about 1785 it was becoming more apparent that the articles of confederation needed to be revised. The meeting of  revision started at Independence Hall in Philadelphia where each state but Rhode Island sent a delegate. Of all the delegates that were there James Madison was Probably the most important. The person who was supposed to be there was almost always absent so Madison decided to take notes.  What made Madison's notes even more important was that the delegates eventually decided to conduct all their meetings in private. It got to the point where they nailed the windows shut. Governor Edmond Randolf of VA purposed a plan but it was really the idea of James Madison. It was called the Virginia plan. It purposed that the government would split in to 3 Branches. The legislative branch witch would enact the laws. The executive branch which would see that the laws were carried out. And the judicial branch which would see that justice would be carried out. The separation of powers would see that no one branch would get too much power.  Many people agreed with Madison. The delegates said that they  needed a constitution over the land. The small states did not want to be dominated by the larger states. There was also the question of the executive of the new country. That is what led up to the constitution.