1. Admitting New States

2. Land Ordinance of 1785
Set up a system for settling the Northwest Territory (north of the Ohio River and East of the Mississippi.
The territory would be surveyed and divided into townships.
Each township would be 36 sections of one square mile each
Congress would sell the sections to settlers for $640 each.
One section in every town was set aside to support public schools

3. Northwest Ordinance
1787
Set up a government for the Northwest Territory
Guaranteed basic rights to settlers
Outlawed Slavery
Provided a way for new states to be admitted to the Union:
Once a territory had a population of 60,000 free settlers, it could ask Congress to be admitted as a new state
Each new state will be on equal footing with the original states
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin were created from the Northwest Ordinance

4. Constitutional Convention
Opened on May 25, 1787
Independence Hall in Philadelphia
Goal: To revise the Articles of Confederation
Every state except Rhode Island sent representatives

5. Amazing Assembly 55 Delegates
Eight had signed the Declaration of Independence
Including Benjamin Franklin at age 81 and George Washington
However, most were a new generation of leaders.
Nearly half were young men in their 30s
Alexander Hamilton of New York
Had served as George Washington’s private secretary
Despised the Articles of Confederation and wanted a strong central government
James Madison of Virginia
36 years old
Best prepared delegate, full of research
Quiet
Father of the Constitution
Secret Debates: closed windows and doors.

6. Two Rival Plans The Virginia Plan (large states)
Quickly after the convention starts, the delegates realize they need to do more than just revise the Articles of Confederation. They need a whole new plan of government.
The Virginia Plan (large states)
Edmund Randolph and James Madison
Strong national government with three branches
Legislative Branch: Pass laws
Two Houses (Bicameral)
Seats would be awarded based on population
Executive Branch: Carry out laws
Judicial Branch: Decide if laws were carried out fairly
The New Jersey Plan (small states)
William Patterson
Three branches of government but the legislative branch only had one house and every state, regardless of size, had one vote in the legislature
National government would have the power to tax and trade

7. The Great Compromise
The delegates could not agree on the two rival plans and most feared the convention would fail.
Roger Sherman of Connecticut worked out the Great Compromise
Approved on July 16, 1787 by a very narrow margin
Two-house legislature
Lower House (House of Representatives) would be elected by popular vote based on population
Upper House (Senate) would be chosen by the state legislatures and each state, no matter the population, would have two senators

8. The Slavery Debate
Northern and Southern states disagreed on whether slavery should be outlawed in the Constitution
Southern states wanted slaves to be counted in their population for representation even though the slaves did not have rights.
Northern states thought slaves should be counted for taxation purposes but not for representation
Three-Fifths Compromise
3/5 of the slaves could be counted toward both taxes AND representation

9. Constitutional Influences
Rome’s Republic
Greece
Britain
Magna Carta (1215)
Monarchs had to obey the laws too
No taxes without consulting parliament
Great Council grew into the British Parliament
English Bill of Rights (1689)
Parliamentary elections should be held regularly
Trial by Jury
Right to bear arms
Habeas Corpus – you cannot be held in prison without being charged with a crime

10. Constitutional Influences
The Revolutionary Era’
The grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence drove the rights and laws listed in the Constitution
The Enlightenment
John Locke
Natural Rights to Life, Liberty, and Property
Government is an agreement between the ruler and the ruled
If a ruler violates the people’s natural rights, the people have the right to rebel
Baron de Montesquieu
Book “Spirit of the Laws”
Powers of government should be clearly defined and divided up – SEPARATION OF POWERS, to keep any person or group from gaining too much power.