Convention
the act of coming together or assembling; the state of being assembled. The word convention has in the United States an association of ideas pregnant with all that is most important in our political history. The secession conventions held in the Southern States, resulted in the Civil War of 1860-1865.
Several times have constitutional conventions been called the most important being those held in the Southern States during the "Reconstruction" period. The great national political parties meet in convention to nominate candidates for President, and the same method of nomination prevails down to the smallest candidate for the lowest municipal or county office. Many conventions for miscellaneous purposes are annually held.
In English history the word is applied to an extraordinary meeting of the Houses of Lords and Commons at a time of national crisis or revolution, without being called together by the writ of the sovereign or waiting to ask his assent.
The name is specially applied (a) to the Parliament summoned, not by the sovereign, but by Gen. Monk, which met on April 25, 1660, and restored Charles II., and (b) to the Parliament convened by the Prince of Orange, who at the time was not King of England. It met on Jan. 22, 1689, and bestowed the king on its author and his wife, William and Mary. kingdom In French history the word is applied CONVOCATION (1915) and "The Blessed Birthday," a play (1917).