1. Constitutional Convention

2. Objective: To examine the importance of the compromises of the Constitution.

3. Constitutional Convention (Philadelphia, 1787)
- George Washington was elected president of the Convention.
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
- It called for a bicameral legislature, in which the number of representatives in each house would depend on the population of the state.
- Both plans called for a strong national government with 3 branches.
- It called for a unicameral legislature, in which every state received one vote.

4. • It provided for a bicameral Congress.
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
- It called for a bicameral legislature, in which the number of representatives in each house would depend on the population of the state.
- Both plans called for a strong national government with 3 branches.
- It called for a unicameral legislature, in which every state received one vote with equal representation.
Great Compromise
• It provided for a bicameral Congress.
A. House of Representatives – each state is represented according to its population (satisfied the VA Plan)
B. Senate – each state has 2 Senators (satisfied the NJ Plan)
* Both houses of Congress must pass every law.

6. The 3/5ths Compromise
The next issue was over how the population would be counted
North felt slaves should not be counted toward the population
South felt slaves should be counted toward the population

7. Three-Fifths Compromise
• In order to determine the population of a state, only 3 out of every 5 slaves would be counted.

8. The Commerce Compromise
The North wanted the government to impose tariffs on goods in order to protect them against foreign competition
The South feared the tariffs would hurt the trade which they relied on heavily
The compromise:
Tariffs to be only allowed on imports from foreign countries and not exports from the US

9. The Slave Trade Compromise
The North wanted to bring an end to the importation and sale of slaves
The South felt that slavery was vital to their economy and did not want the government to interfere
The compromise:
The North agreed to wait until 1808 before Congress would be able to ban slave trade in the US

10. The Election of the President
There was a disagreement over how to elect the new Chief Executive
Some delegates felt that the President should be popularly elected
Others feared the electorate would not be informed enough to make a wise decision
The compromise:
The Electoral College

11. The Election of the President
The Electoral College
Each state would send electors to Washington to cast votes for the President and Vice-President
Those electors were meant to be a rubber stamp or safeguard to the popular vote of each state