1. The Constitutional Convention 1787
C&E Notes 1.05
The Constitutional Convention
1787

2. Key Terms
Articles of Confederation Shays’ Rebellion Great Compromise (VA Plan and NJ Plan) Three-Fifths Compromise Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise Electoral College Federalists and Anti-Federalists

4. Confederation Successes
Northwest Ordinance 1787
Land Ordinance of 1785

5. Articles of Confederation

6. The Road to the Convention
Why was the convention called?
Failure of the Articles of Confederation (AoC)
Shays’ Rebellion

7. Weaknesses of the AOC
Weakness No Executive Branch No National Court System (Judicial) Each state = 1 vote in Congress
Effect No way to coordinate the government Difficult to settle disputes among states Representation was undemocratic

8. Weaknesses of the AOC
Weakness No power for law enforcement No power to levy or collect taxes No power to regulate interstate or foreign trade 9 states needed to approve new laws 13 states to change
Effect States did what they pleased Gov. short of money Fighting among the states – Bad relations with other countries Difficult to pass laws Impossible to changes

9. Amendments to the AOC required 13 states
Almost impossible to make changes

10. Shays’ Rebellion

11. Shays’ Rebellion

12. What was the Goal of the Convention?
The goal of the convention was to create a federal system (shared power between a national government and the states.)

13. Early Decision Discard the AoC and write a new document,
THE CONSTITUTION

14. COMPROMISES Great Compromise Who? Big states v. Small states
Disagreement? Should representation in Congress be based on population or be equal?
Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan

15. Arguments Virginia Plan
The # of representatives a state gets in Congress should be based on the population of the state
The large states believed this was more democratic
New Jersey Plan
The # of representatives a state gets in Congress should be equal
The small states feared the larger states would have too much power

16. The Great Compromise

17. Great Compromise

18. Three-fifths Compromise
Who? Northern and Southern states
Disagreement? Should slaves count toward representation/taxes?
Reps: South = YES North = NO
Taxes: South = NO North = YES
Compromise? Three-fifths of a state's slave population would count toward representation and taxes.

19. Three-Fifths Compromise

20. Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Who? Northern and Southern states
Disagreement?
South: Did not want the National government to regulate trade between the states (feared end of slave trade.) The North did.
Compromise? South allowed National government to regulate commerce, North agreed that Congress could not interfere with the slave trade for twenty years or tax exports.

21. Electoral College Question
How should the President be selected? (People or Congress?)
Solution: Electoral College -- state legislatures choose electors who vote for the President and Vice President.

22. Ratification Federalists -- supported the Constitution
Anti-Federalists -- Opposed the Constitution (National too powerful)
Solution: Bill of Rights (protected individual liberty)