A convention, in the sense of a meeting, is a gathering of individuals who meet at an arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon industry, profession, and fandom.

Party identification is the strongest predictor of how a person will vote. Party loyalists are likely to vote for all of their party’s candidates in any election.

The formal purpose of such a convention is to select the party’s nominee for popular election as President, as well as to adopt a statement of party principles and goals known as the party platform and adopt the rules for the party’s activities, including the presidential nominating process for the next election cycle.

During a political party convention, each presidential nominee also announces a vice presidential running mate. The candidates then campaign across the country to explain their views and plans to voters. They may also participate in debates with candidates from other parties.

Therefore, conventions are rules of political behavior first established to solve some specific problems, and subsequently, they were followed as they seemed just and reasonable to follow. They established intelligent practices and continue their authority as such.

The terms party conference (UK English), political convention (US and Canadian English), and party congress usually refer to a general meeting of a political party. The term conference or caucus may also refer to the organization of all party members as a whole.

The Anti-Masonic Party and the National Republican Party had held the first presidential nominating conventions in 1831, and Jackson’s “Kitchen Cabinet” helped organize a Democratic convention in 1832.

There were 265 delegates from twenty-two states and two territories. Alabama, Illinois, and South Carolina were unrepresented at the convention. The nomination of Van Buren was unanimous on the first ballot.

The first national convention of the Democratic Party began in Baltimore on May 21, 1832. In that year the rule was created, requiring a two-thirds vote to nominate a candidate: Martin Van Buren was nominated for vice president on the first ballot.

Source: Official proceedings of the National Democratic convention, held at Baltimore, July 9, 1872.

Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, only two would become president: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. (They and one other, Elbridge Gerry, would serve as vice president.) Of the 39 signers of the Constitution of the United States, only two would become president: George Washington and James Madison.

Benjamin Franklin is best known as one of the Founding Fathers who never served as president but was a respected inventor, publisher, scientist and diplomat.

George Washington and James Madison were the only presidents who signed the Constitution.