The Constitutional Convention 8.15B

Background Information After the Revolutionary War, America went through a _______________, or a period where economic activity slows down and unemployment is high. Because of the depression, American farmers began to suffer because they __________________________. As a result, farmers could not pay their ______________, and their lands were taken away by the state. Resentment against the government grew in Massachusetts, and _________________ led 1,000 farmers to a federal arsenal in Springfield, Mass to gather ________________________. The state militia was called in and eventually the ______________________. However, the state militia was barely able to control the rebellion. Shay’s Rebellion ______________ Americans, because they believed the new Articles of Confederation ________________________________to control unrest and prevent violence. For this particular example, and others, American leaders began to see a weak national government was America’s main problem. depression could not sell their goods debts Daniel Shay arms and ammunition farmers fled worried was not powerful enough Video

The Constitutional Convention When: May, 1787 and continued through summer Where: Philadelphia Who: 55 delegates met Ben Franklin George Washington James Madison Alexander Hamilton Edmund Randolph

The Constitutional Convention Organizing the Convention Washington chosen to preside over the meeting (lead the meeting) Each state would get one vote, majority rules Delegates would close doors to public, so they could talk freely Washington presiding over meeting

The Constitutional Convention Purpose of the meeting: To revise the Articles of Confederation

The Constitutional Convention Purpose of the meeting: To revise the Articles of Confederation What actually happened? Wrote the Constitution with a much stronger national government

The Constitutional Convention Virginia Plan Create a 2-house legislature, with a chief executive, and a court system

The Constitutional Convention Virginia Plan Create a 2-house legislature, with a chief execute, and a court system 2 house legislature: Lower house members: elected by people Upper house members: chosen by lower house

The Constitutional Convention Virginia Plan Create a 2-house legislature, with a chief execute, and a court system 2 house legislature: Lower house members: elected by people Upper house members: chosen by lower house Number of representatives would be proportional to the population size Greater population = more representatives

The Constitutional Convention New Jersey Create a 1-house legislature that could elect a weak executive (president) Each state would get 1 representative in Congress, regardless of population

The Constitutional Convention Compromise The convention selected a “grand committee” to discuss the disagreement and try to resolve it This committee came up with the Great Compromise

The Constitutional Convention The Great Compromise 2 house legislature: House of Representatives – members would be based on population Senate – each state would have 2 members Compromise! New Jersey PlanVirginia Plan

The Constitutional Convention Slavery/Population Issue? Because the House of Representatives was based on population, the North and the South could not agree on how to count slaves in the population

The Constitutional Convention Slavery/Population issue? North: Did not want slaves to count in population South: Wanted slaves to count so they could have more delegates

Which states would want the slave population to count more?? Where are all these states located??

The Constitutional Convention Three-Fifths Compromise Each enslaved person would count for 3/5 of a free person for both taxation and representation

The Constitutional Convention Bill of Rights? George Mason proposed a Bill of Rights to protect the freedoms of the people However, most delegates thought the Constitution did not need one, and left it out

The Constitutional Convention Ratification The Constitution could not become law until 9 out of 13 states approved it The Constitution was sent to the states for approval