1. Constitutional Convention in a Nutshell

2. Virginia Plan Also know as the “big state” plan Three branches of government – executive, legislative, and judicial Legislative branch appoints people to serve in other branches Bicameral legislature – House of Representatives and Senate would be represented proportionally according to state’s population

3. New Jersey Plan Also known as the “small state” plan Three branch government – executive, legislative, and judicial Legislative branch choose executive, then executive chooses Supreme Court Unicameral legislature – All states would have the same amount of representation in the legislature

4. Great Compromise Bicameral legislature was ultimately chosen House of Representatives – elected by the people, amount of representation is based on population of the state (less populated states have less representatives than more populated states. Senate – elected by the states’ legislatures, each states gets two senators

6. Northern States They believed that slavery was immoral and should be outlawed in the Constitution They didn’t think that slaves should be counted in a states population for representation because slaves were considered property They believed that if slaves fled to where slavery was illegal then the escaped slave would be free

7. Southern States Believed that they had the right to have slaves since they bought them, and if they lost their slaves the southern economy would collapse They wanted the slaves to be counted in some way in regards of population for representation that way they could get more representation They believed that fugitive slaves should be returned to their owners since they were property

8. 3/5 Compromise Slaves would be counted as 3/5 persons when counting a states population for representation, even though the slave could not vote Northern states could not make laws that would protect fugitive slaves They slave trade would end in 1808