chap 2.4 creating the constitutionpknock.com/constitutional compromises.pdf · organizing the...

Chap 2.4 Creating the Constitution Met in Philadelphia May 25, 1787

§ George Washington elected president of the convention

§ Worked in Secret § Framers new generation of American politics Changing Direction § Original goal improve the Articles of Confederation § May 30, 5 days after starting, adopted resolution to create a new government.

Compromise Needed to Create the Constitution

Compromise important part of government

13 States very different in geography and economic situations

Wide differences of opinion among delegates, but delegates agreed on basic fundamental issues

Ø  Need of new national government, federal in nature Ø  Concepts of Popular Sovereignty, Limited

Government, Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances

Organizing the Philadelphia (Constitutional) Convention

n  Met in Philadelphia May 25, 1787 n  George Washington Elected president of the

convention n  Worked in Secret

n  Changing Direction n  Original goal improve the Articles of

Confederation n  May 30, 5 days after starting, adopted

resolution to create a new government.

Key Compromises

n  Connecticut (Great) Compromise

n  Three-Fifths Compromise

n  Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

Two Plans Proposed for New Government

Virginia Plan Large States Ø  Number of Houses: 3

2 – Bicameral Branches of

Ø  Representation: Government By size or wealth

Ø  Stronger Central Government

New Jersey Plan Small States

Ø  Number of Houses: 1 – Unicameral

Ø  Representation:

Equal for all states Ø  Weak Central Government

Connecticut (Great) Compromise

n  Problem? n  Representation in Congress

n  Proposals n  Small States wanted Equal Representation n  Large States wanted by Population or Wealth

n  Solution? n  House of Representatives represented by

Population as desired by Large States n  Senate has Equal Representation as desired

by Small States

Three Fifths Compromise n  Problem?

n  Should Slaves be counted in population? n  Proposals

n  Slave-holding States wanted to count them n  Non Slave-holding States did not

n  Solution? n  Count all Free Persons. n  Count three of every five Slaves (all other persons). n  Slaves counted for representation (South wanted), but

also for taxation (North wanted). n  Eliminated in the 13th amendment 1865.

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

n  Problem? n  New Government needed to regulate trade – major

problem with Articles of Confederation. n  Southern States concerns: •  New Government may be funded by taxing exports

(tobacco was biggest export at the time). •  New Government would interfere with Slave Trade.

n  Proposals n  Ban Government’s ability to tax exports. n  Forbid any discussion about the Slave trade in Congress.

n  Solution? n  Both proposals were agreed to. n  Ban on discussion or legislation of slave trade for 20 years.

Chap 2.5 Ratifying the Constitution

n  Convention completed work on September 17, 1787 (p. 54).

n  Second Continental Congress accepted work of the Convention.

n  Forwarded the proposed Constitution to the States of their vote.

n  Needed approval of 9 states to ratify. n  Nine states approved by June 1788, but

neither VA or NY had ratified it.

Arguments For and Against Federalists §  Supported

Ratification §  Favored stronger

national government

§  Argued the weaknesses of present government

§  Later became 1st political party in US

Anti-Federalists §  Against Ratification §  Favored weaker

national government, stronger state government

§  Concern – protection of personal liberties

§  Insisted on a Bill of Rights added to the Constitution

The Federalist Papers

n  Series of 85 political papers written by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison n  Supported the ratification of the

Constitution n  Hamilton wrote 51, Madison wrote 26, Jay

wrote 5 n  Appeared in newspapers where ratification

was in doubt, New York and Virginia n  Brutus and Cato, among others, versus

Publius

The Anti Federalist Papers

•  A collection of articles, written in opposition to the ratification of the 1787 United States Constitution. •  Unlike the Federalist Papers written in support of the Constitution, the authors of these articles, mostly operating under pseudonyms, were not engaged in a strictly organized project.

Ratification and New Beginning

n  New York Becomes 11th state to ratify n  July 26,1788

n  Convinced by the arguments in the “Federalist Papers” n  Collection of arguments for the new government

written by Madison, Hamilton and John Jay n  Persuasive to the benefits of the proposed

government n  Argued the weakness of present government

n  New Government convened March 4, 1789 n  George Washington unanimously elected First

President.

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