Drafting the Constitution Chapter 8, Section 2 Objective: Identify the compromises of the Constitutional Convention

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress A.Was specifically designed to be weak B.Had no control over public land policy C.Had no power to regulate commerce D.Had no tax-collecting authority

Look on page What were the two biggest problems facing the new government?

Answer: Commerce between the states. (Close 2 nd : Civil Disorder- Shays Rebellion)

General Daniel Shays, Colonel Job Shattuck, artist unknown An anti-Shays cartoonist depicts Shays and a key supporter as bogus military officers who sought power and threatened the people's liberty. (National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution/Art Resource, New York) General Daniel Shays, Colonel Job Shattuck, artist unknown Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

WEAK National government means… Shay’s rebellion, the farmers protest, caused panic throughout the nation. Debt ridden Farmers Massachusetts Every state was in debt, it was just a matter of time until another rebellion arose somewhere else. Since the state governments had all the power, a new national government was needed to set things right in the United States

Call for convention Trade was one of the biggest concerns. Interstate trade was a major problem, states often argued with each other about taxes. Annapolis September, 1786 Trade meeting Also discussed at that meeting were plans for a new government. May, 1787 Delegates gathered in Philadelphia to discuss a new form of national government

Constitutional Convention Who was there? Who could not come? Who would not come?

James Madison by Charles Willson Peale, 1783 James Madison described himself as "feeble" and "sickly" and suffered all his life from dizzy spells and stomach disorders. But this small, shy Virginia planter and lawyer won the respect of his colleagues as a brilliant political theorist during the drafting of the Constitution, and later as a genius for organizing the machinery of party politics. (Library of Congress) James Madison by Charles Willson Peale, 1783 Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

What was George Washington’s role? What were the conditions the convention was held under? Why was this done? Could this be done today?

Conflict State rights : Delegates were still worried about a strong national government. They knew however the country needed a efficient national government Representation: Everyone in the country had to representation in the government. Not just the right land owners. Two fundamental questions faced the delegation: 1. How to have a strong national government, but still have state rights. 2. Balance interests of all people.

Big States vs. Small States How could there be fair representation for larger states and smaller states? Unlike the Articles of Confederation, there had to be fair representation of a state’s size. Delegates came up with two plans to solve this problem: New Jersey Plan Virginia Plan

Representation Virginia Plan James Madison Two-house legislature Membership based on the population of the state. People would vote in members of the lower house, they in turn would elect the upper house. Legislature would elect President Favored the larger states New Jersey Plan William Paterson Single house legislature as was used in the Articles of Confederation Each state gets one vote Plan favored the smaller states

The Great Compromise Debate on the two plans became heated, and then deadlocked. Finally a compromise was reached Two House Legislature Upper House (Senate) Each state would have equal representation Smaller states Lower House (House of Representatives) Representation would be based on the size of the state. Larger states.

3/5 ths Compromise The Great Compromise failed to deal with one particular issue, that of slavery and representation. The southern states wanted slaves to be counted in the population of the state. Why would this be bad for northern states?

3/5 ths Compromise Slaves would be counted as 3/5ths of the states population. For every 5 slaves, 3 of them would be counted in the population. Slave trade could not be banned for 20 years (1808)

Regulation Trade Look at pg How successful was Congress in dealing with the problem of regulating trade? What was accomplished? What was blocked? What was left unsaid?

Division of Powers = Checks and Balances EXECUTIVE LEGISLATIVEJUDICIAL

CONSTITUTION =COMPROMISE “Great Compromise” – proposed by Roger Sherman House of Reps for Populous States Senate for Small States “3/5ths Compromise” Compromise on counting slaves as part of population Limited Government achieved through Checks and Balances Rule based on consent of the governed, but my means of representative, not direct, democracy LIBERTY WAS BALANCED WITH ORDER