1. American History Unit 2 Lecture 6
Creating the Constitution

2. Calling for Convention
James Madison and Alexander Hamilton urge meeting to revise Articles
Shay’s Rebellion convinces states to attend
Washington agrees to attend – gives legitimacy
All states but Rhode Island in attendance
55 Delegates
Hot spring and summer of 1787 in Philadelphia

3. The Ground Rules Everything is secret!
1 vote per state – majority rules
The Government will be rewritten!

4. Biggest Issue
REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT – or “Big States vs. Little States”
Two Main Plans
Virginia Plan – Madison’s Plan. Calls for:
3 Branches, Bicameral Congress, Population- based representation
New Jersey Plan – Paterson’s Plan. Calls for:
Single congress with group of executives, equal vote for each state, (known as the Small State plan)

5. Great Compromise
Issue of representation is solved by the Great Compromise. -Each state gets 2 votes in Senate -Number of votes in House of Reps. – based on population. -Census every ten years will determine population

6. The Issue of Slavery1
South wanted slaves to count for representation – the North opposed this!
3/5 Compromise says that for purposes of representation, 3/5 of a state’s slaves would be counted
Promise not to interfere with the slave trade for 20 years
1. Click for a lesson on slavery in the Constitution

7. Economic Issues
Federal Government can tax, coin money, regulate trade between states.

8. Ratification Debate 9 States must agree
Federalists – those who favor adopting new Constitution
Anti-Federalists – those who oppose adopting new Constitution
Federalist Papers – Series of articles by Madison, Hamilton, and John Jay support ratification
Debate over Bill of Rights