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Pennsylvania politics between 1776 and 1787 was divided roughly two-to-one between those who favored a strong central government, called Federalists, and those who preferred confederation, known as the Anti-federalists. This breakdown, however, was not manifested in either the election or the voting of the eight-member delegation to the Constitutional Convention which had been held in Philadelphia. All eight resided in Philadelphia. The single-house Pennsylvania legislature was in lame-duck session when Federalists literally forced those opposed to ratification to attend so as to constitute a quorum which allowed the legislature to choose mostly pro-Constitution delegates to the ratification convention. The Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention met on November 20 and lasted until 12 December 1787. The division between those advocating the document and those opposed has frequently, if simplistically, stated as urban mercantile and trading proponents and agrarian opponents.