A discussion guide, one in a series on constitutional reform issues developed by The Jefferson Foundation as part of The Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution project, examines the implications for calling a National Constitutional Convention. The controversy over the power of the amending convention is explained through tracing its development in the American revolutionary and constitutional traditions. The second section, "The Convention and Stability," emphasizes the founder's inclusion of an amendment provision as a reaction to the inflexibility of the Articles of Confederation. The third section discusses the genesis of Article V. Examples of state constitutional conventions are also included. The historical precedents of conventions are listed. The document concludes by discussing several bills introduced by Congress to set rules, regulations, and procedures for a national convention, specifically Senator Sam Irvin's in 1981 or Senator Orrin Hatch's in 1979. (RLS)