1. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
The Constitutional Convention
pg. 206
Learning Objectives:
SWBAT list the founding fathers and important people that were at the Constitutional Convention.
SWBAT describe the two different plans for government that were brought up at the Convention (the Virginia Plan vs. the New Jersey Plan)
SWBAT tell about the many compromises the committee made to make the new government work. (the Great Compromise, the Three-fifths Compromise, Slave Trade Compromise)
SWBAT explain how the Constitution was passed by the convention.

2. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 206
The Constitutional Convention

3. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 206
Setting the Scene
Philadelphia State House = Independence Hall

4. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
The Constitutional Convention
pg. 206
Setting the Scene
Independence Hall today...

5. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
The Constitutional Convention
pg. 206

6. The Constitutional Convention The Delegates to the Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
The Constitutional Convention The Delegates to the Convention
pg. 206
An Amazing Assembly
55 delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies (no one from Rhode Island came)
From as young as 26 (Jonathon Dayton) to as old as 81 (Benjamin Franklin)
8 delegates had also signed the Declaration of Independence
Benjamin Franklin
George Washington

7. The Constitutional Convention The Delegates to the Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 207
An Amazing Assembly
Along with older, more experienced delegates there was a new generation of delegates in their thirties at the convention.
Alexander Hamilton
(Virginia)

8. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
The Constitutional Convention
pg. 207
James Madison
“The Father of the Constitution”

9. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
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pg. 207
The Constitutional Convention

10. The Constitutional Convention Two Rival Plans
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 207
The Constitutional Convention Two Rival Plans

11. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 207
The Constitutional Convention

12. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The delegates decided to replace the Articles of
Confederation with a new plan for government.
The Virginia Plan
vs.
The New Jersey Plan

13. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
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The Constitutional Convention

14. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
The Constitutional Convention
pg. 208
Two Rival Plans - The Virginia Plan
Introduced by:
Edmund Randolph
James Madison

15. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Virginia Plan
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
bicameral (2 house) legislature
# of representatives based on population of a state
in BOTH houses

16. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Virginia Plan
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
bicameral (2 house) legislature
# of representatives based on population of a state
in BOTH houses
Large population states liked this plan because they
would have more representatives and therefore more
power or more say in the government.

17. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Virginia Plan
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
bicameral (2 house) legislature
# of representatives based on population of a state
in BOTH houses
Small population states disliked this plan and thought it
was unfair. They felt they would have little to no say in
the government.

18. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Constitutional Convention

19. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
Two Rival Plans - The New Jersey Plan
Introduced by:
William Paterson

20. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The New Jersey Plan
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
unicameral (1 house) legislature
each state has one vote

21. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The New Jersey Plan
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
unicameral (1 house) legislature
each state has one vote
Small population states liked this plan and felt it
was more fair.

22. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The New Jersey Plan
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
unicameral (1 house) legislature
each state has one vote
Large population states disliked this plan and felt
it was only fair for larger population states to
have more votes because they were representing
more citizens.

23. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Constitutional Convention

24. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Great Compromise - The Connecticut Plan
Introduced by:
Roger Sherman

25. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan)
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
bicameral (2 house) legislature
upper house (Senate) each state would get 2 representatives
lower house (House of Representatives) # of representatives would depend on population
of the state

26. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 208
The Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan)
strong national government
3 branches (Legislative, Executive, Judicial)
bicameral (2 house) legislature
upper house (Senate) each state would get 2 representatives
lower house (House of Representatives) # of representatives would depend on population
of the state
This plan was a compromise that both large
population and small population states could
agree on.

27. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention

28. The Constitutional Convention
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Northern and Southern States Compromise
The northern states focused on small businesses and trade in their economy.
The southern states focused on agriculture (farming) in their economy which meant they used slave labor.
The middle states had a blend of both trade and agriculture with some small businesses as well.

29. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention

30. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
section 2
pg. 209
Northern and Southern States Compromise
After the issue of deciding how many representatives
each state would get, the question of whether or not
slaves could count as part of the state’s population
towards earning representatives.
The northern states felt slaves should not be counted
since they were not free and could not vote.
The southern states felt that slaves should be counted
because the government still has to provide some
services for them. The southern states did not have as
many free citizens as the northern states and needed the
slaves to count.

31. The Constitutional Convention
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The Three-Fifths Compromise
After much debate, the delegates agreed to
count 3 out of every 5 slaves in the south
towards representation in Congress.

32. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention

33. The Constitutional Convention
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The Slave Trade
Another issue between northern and southern
states was the issue of trading (buying and
selling) slaves. Many northern states had
already outlawed the slave trade. They wanted
slave trading outlawed in the whole country.
The southern states counted on slaves for their
labor and were against this idea.

34. The Constitutional Convention
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pg. 209
The Slave Trade - Compromise
The North agreed that Congress would not outlaw the slave trade for at least 20 years.
The North also compromised and promised not to prevent the South from recovering run-away slaves.

35. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention

36. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention
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How many years does the president serve?

37. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention
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How many years does the president serve? 4

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The Constitutional Convention
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How many justices (judges) in the Supreme Court?

39. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention
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How many justices (judges) in the Supreme Court?
6 back then, 9 today

40. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention
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Would Senators and Representatives get paid?

41. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention
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Would Senators and Representatives get paid?
No … but they are today

42. The Constitutional Convention
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The Constitutional Convention

43. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
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The Constitutional Convention
pg. 210
Signing the Constitution
“I doubt…whether any other Convention
…may be able to make a better Constitution
…I cannot help expressing a wish, that every
member of the Convention who may still
have objections to it, would with me, on this
occasion, doubt a little of his own infallibility,
and…put his name to this instrument.”
In the end, only 39 of the 55 delegates did sign the Constitution
but it was a majority and enough for it to pass.

44. The Constitutional Convention
Chapter 7
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The Constitutional Convention

45. The Constitutional Convention Signing the Constitution
Chapter 7
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pg. 210
The Constitutional Convention Signing the Constitution

46. The Constitutional Convention
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section 2
pg. 210
Signing the Constitution
When the convention was over, the Constitution was printed up and sent to the states for people to read, look over, and eventually vote on.