diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Accordion.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Accordion.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Accordion.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Accordion.java
@@ -72,7 +72,21 @@
      * Creates a new Accordion with no TitledPanes.
      */
     public Accordion() {
+        this((TitledPane[])null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new Accordion with the given TitledPanes showing within it.
+     *
+     * @param titledPanes The TitledPanes to show inside the Accordion.
+     */
+    public Accordion(TitledPane... titledPanes) {
         getStyleClass().setAll(DEFAULT_STYLE_CLASS);
+
+        if (titledPanes != null) {
+            getPanes().addAll(titledPanes);
+        }
+
         // focusTraversable is styleable through css. Calling setFocusTraversable
         // makes it look to css like the user set the value and css will not 
         // override. Initializing focusTraversable by calling applyStyle with null
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Menu.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Menu.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Menu.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Menu.java
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@
     
     /**
      * Constructs a Menu and sets the display text with the specified text.
+     *
+     * @param text the text to display on the menu button
      */
     public Menu(String text) {
         this(text,null);
@@ -139,11 +141,31 @@
     /**
      * Constructs a Menu and sets the display text with the specified text
      * and sets the graphic {@link Node} to the given node.
+     *
+     * @param text the text to display on the menu button
+     * @param graphic the graphic to display on the menu button
      */
     public Menu(String text, Node graphic) {
+        this(text, graphic, (MenuItem[])null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructs a Menu and sets the display text with the specified text,
+     * the graphic {@link Node} to the given node, and inserts the given items
+     * into the {@link #getItems() items} list.
+     *
+     * @param text the text to display on the menu button
+     * @param graphic the graphic to display on the menu button
+     * @param items The items to display in the popup menu.
+     */
+    public Menu(String text, Node graphic, MenuItem... items) {
         super(text,graphic);
         getStyleClass().add(DEFAULT_STYLE_CLASS);
 
+        if (items != null) {
+            getItems().addAll(items);
+        }
+
         parentPopupProperty().addListener(observable -> {
             for (int i = 0; i < getItems().size(); i++) {
                 MenuItem item = getItems().get(i);
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuBar.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuBar.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuBar.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuBar.java
@@ -81,9 +81,26 @@
      *                                                                         *
      **************************************************************************/
 
+    /**
+     * Creates a new empty MenuBar.
+     */
     public MenuBar() {
+        this((Menu[])null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new MenuBar populated with the given menus.
+     *
+     * @param menus The menus to place inside the MenuBar
+     */
+    public MenuBar(Menu... menus) {
         getStyleClass().setAll(DEFAULT_STYLE_CLASS);
         setRole(AccessibleRole.MENU_BAR);
+
+        if (menus != null) {
+            getMenus().addAll(menus);
+        }
+
         // focusTraversable is styleable through css. Calling setFocusTraversable
         // makes it look to css like the user set the value and css will not 
         // override. Initializing focusTraversable by calling applyStyle with null
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuButton.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuButton.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuButton.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/MenuButton.java
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
 
     /**
      * Creates a new empty menu button with the given text to display on the
-     * menu. Use {@link #setGraphic(Node)} and {@link #getItems()} to set the
+     * button. Use {@link #setGraphic(Node)} and {@link #getItems()} to set the
      * content.
      * 
      * @param text the text to display on the menu button
@@ -103,18 +103,35 @@
 
     /**
      * Creates a new empty menu button with the given text and graphic to
-     * display on the menu. Use {@link #getItems()} to set the content.
+     * display on the button. Use {@link #getItems()} to set the content.
      * 
      * @param text the text to display on the menu button
      * @param graphic the graphic to display on the menu button
      */
     public MenuButton(String text, Node graphic) {
+        this(text, graphic, (MenuItem[])null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new menu button with the given text and graphic to
+     * display on the button, and inserts the given items
+     * into the {@link #getItems() items} list.
+     *
+     * @param text the text to display on the menu button
+     * @param graphic the graphic to display on the menu button
+     * @param items The items to display in the popup menu.
+     */
+    public MenuButton(String text, Node graphic, MenuItem... items) {
         if (text != null) {
             setText(text);
         }
         if (graphic != null) {
             setGraphic(graphic);
         }
+        if (items != null) {
+            getItems().addAll(items);
+        }
+
         getStyleClass().setAll(DEFAULT_STYLE_CLASS);
         setRole(AccessibleRole.MENU_BUTTON);
         setMnemonicParsing(true);     // enable mnemonic auto-parsing by default
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/SplitPane.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/SplitPane.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/SplitPane.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/SplitPane.java
@@ -174,6 +174,16 @@
      * Creates a new SplitPane with no content.
      */
     public SplitPane() {
+        this((Node[])null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a new SplitPane with the given items set as the content to split
+     * between one or more dividers.
+     *
+     * @param items The items to place inside the SplitPane.
+     */
+    public SplitPane(Node... items) {
         getStyleClass().setAll(DEFAULT_STYLE_CLASS);
         // focusTraversable is styleable through css. Calling setFocusTraversable
         // makes it look to css like the user set the value and css will not 
@@ -181,7 +191,7 @@
         // null StyleOrigin ensures that css will be able to override the value.
         ((StyleableProperty<Boolean>)(WritableValue<Boolean>)focusTraversableProperty()).applyStyle(null, Boolean.FALSE); 
 
-        items.addListener(new ListChangeListener<Node>() {
+        getItems().addListener(new ListChangeListener<Node>() {
             @Override public void onChanged(Change<? extends Node> c) {
                 while (c.next()) {
                     int from = c.getFrom();
@@ -207,7 +217,7 @@
                     }
                 }
                 dividers.clear();
-                for (int i = 0; i < items.size() - 1; i++) {
+                for (int i = 0; i < getItems().size() - 1; i++) {
                     if (dividerCache.containsKey(i) && dividerCache.get(i) != Double.MAX_VALUE) {
                         Divider d = new Divider();
                         d.setPosition(dividerCache.get(i));
@@ -219,6 +229,10 @@
                 }
             }
         });
+
+        if (items != null) {
+            getItems().addAll(items);
+        }
         
         // initialize pseudo-class state
         pseudoClassStateChanged(HORIZONTAL_PSEUDOCLASS_STATE, true);
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Tab.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Tab.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Tab.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/Tab.java
@@ -97,7 +97,18 @@
      * @param text The title of the tab.
      */
     public Tab(String text) {
+        this(text, null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a tab with a text title and the specified content node.
+     *
+     * @param text The title of the tab.
+     * @param content The content of the tab.
+     */
+    public Tab(String text, Node content) {
         setText(text);
+        setContent(content);
         styleClass.addAll(DEFAULT_STYLE_CLASS);
     }
     
diff --git a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TabPane.java b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TabPane.java
--- a/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TabPane.java
+++ b/modules/controls/src/main/java/javafx/scene/control/TabPane.java
@@ -110,11 +110,20 @@
      * Constructs a new TabPane.
      */
     public TabPane() {
+        this((Tab[])null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Constructs a new TabPane with the given tabs set to show.
+     *
+     * @param tabs The {@link Tab tabs} to display inside the TabPane.
+     */
+    public TabPane(Tab... tabs) {
         getStyleClass().setAll("tab-pane");
         setRole(AccessibleRole.TAB_PANE);
         setSelectionModel(new TabPaneSelectionModel(this));
 
-        tabs.addListener((ListChangeListener<Tab>) c -> {
+        this.tabs.addListener((ListChangeListener<Tab>) c -> {
             while (c.next()) {
                 for (Tab tab : c.getRemoved()) {
                     if (tab != null && !getTabs().contains(tab)) {
@@ -129,6 +138,10 @@
                 }
             }
         });
+
+        if (tabs != null) {
+            getTabs().addAll(tabs);
+        }
         
         // initialize pseudo-class state
         Side edge = getSide();