1. The Role of Compromise in Creating American Government

2. The Convention Convenes
Met Philadelphia in the State House, now called Independence Hall
Intended to revise Articles of Confederation
Scrapped the Articles and started over
75% of the men had been in the Continental Congress
55 delegates in all attend
Meet in secrecy

3. The Convention Convenes
George Washington (VA) elected President of the Convention
James Madison (VA) kept notes and does much of the writing of the Constitution
“Father of the Constitution”
81-year-old Ben Franklin (PA) attends
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams are notable absences from the conventions
Both are Europe representing the country as ambassadors
Jefferson is in France
Adams is in England

4. Major Issues Addressed
Government strong enough to protect rights of the people
Not too strong to be controlled
Structure of Government
Congressional Representation
Slavery and population
Regulation of Trade

5. Structure of Government
Convention agreed on creating Three Branches of Government
Executive: enforce the laws
Legislative: make the laws
Judicial: interpret the laws

6. Structure of Legislature Two Plans
Virginia Plan
Bicameral Legislature
Number of representatives in each house based on states population and/or wealth
Legislature would have power to tax, regulate trade and make laws that states are unable to make

7. Structure of Legislature Two Plans
New Jersey Plan
Single house Legislature
Each state would have one vote
Similar to Articles of Confederation
Same powers as Virginia Plan

8. Constitutional Compromise
Great Compromise - Compromise between the Virginia and New Jersey plans for representation
3 branches of Government
Executive, Legislative and Judicial
Legislature would be Bicameral
Senate – 2 representatives per state (equal representation)
House of Representatives – representation based on population
Representation

9. Constitutional Compromise
Commerce Compromise - Congress would have power to regulate trade with foreign nations, amongst the states and with Native Americans
Congress can tax imports
Congress NOT allowed to tax exports
Southern economy is based on exports of tobacco, cotton etc.
Congress would not be able to regulate the slave trade for at least 20 years – until 1808
Regulation of Trade

10. Constitutional Compromise
Slavery and Population
Disagreement on how to count slaves as part of population for the purpose of taxation and representation
South wanted slaves counted as population for representation but not taxation
North wanted slaves counted for taxation but not population

11. Constitutional Compromise
Every 5 slaves would count as 3 free persons when calculating population for taxation and for representation
Slavery and Population

12. Antifederalists
Antifederalists opposed ratification of the Constitution because there was no bill of rights to protect rights of the people
Patrick Henry had refused to attend the Constitutional Convention
Leading patriot from Revolution
Led the fight against ratification in Virginia
Patrick Henry
“I smell a rat”

13. Antifederalists
Wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights (Virginia’s version of the bill of rights) in 1776
Attended the Constitutional Convention but refused to sign the final document
Because no list of the rights of people was included
George Mason

14. Pro Constitution - Federalists
James Madison
John Jay
Alexander Hamilton

15. The Federalist Papers Published starting in October 1787
85 total essays published anonymously under the name PUBLIUS in New York
Intended to gain support from ratification delegates to New York convention
Federalists argued that the Constitution was structured to protect the rights of the people

17. Signing of the Constitution
September 17, 1787
Sent to states for ratification
Had to have ¾ of states approval to become law of the land
9 of the 13 states had to ratify the document for it to become our system of government

19. Preamble
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”