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Rocky Road to the Constitution EQ: What compromises emerged from the Constitutional Convention?

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Presentation on theme: "Rocky Road to the Constitution EQ: What compromises emerged from the Constitutional Convention?"— Presentation transcript:

1 Rocky Road to the Constitution EQ: What compromises emerged from the Constitutional Convention?

2 Articles of Confederation Quiz 1.What was the purpose of the Articles of Confederation? 2.Under the Articles what powers did the national government have? List at least 3 3.Under the Articles what powers did the national government not have? List at least 3 4.Why was a convention called?

3 Articles of Confederation 1 st plan of the U.S gov’t-cooperated for common purpose/each state=1 vote Good: make war/peace, raise an army & navy, print $, set up postal system Bad: Couldn’t raise taxes, enforce laws Success: NW Land Ordinance – W lands divided into 6 mile sq’s- townships, once there was 60k apply for statehood Failure: $ Problems, $ printed during war was pointless, no gold or silver Shay’s Rebellion: Farmer Daniel Shay and followers closed down courthouse CALL For Convention  Fear of Shay’s rebellion and revise A of C

4 Convention Delegates: 55 white men from 12 states (R.I boycotted). Men were “well-bred, well-fed, well-read, and well-wed” – 2/3 were lawyers and 1/3 owned slaves – Father of Convention: James Madison  took over 600 pages of notes. Studied ancient and modern gov’t – Secrecy: Very Serious no one outside knew what was going on Committed to Ideals of D.O.I: Basic purpose of gov’t was to protect life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness Power of Gov’t came from who? – Republic- a country governed by elected representatives – State Constitutions embraced republican ideals Biggest Concern: HOW powerful should the gov’t be? – TOO STRONG= LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY – TOO WEAK=CANNOT PROTECT LIBERTY & PROPERTY

5 Issue #1-How should the states be represented in the new government? GOAL: REVISE ARTICLES Virginia delegation  New plan: – THROW OUT ARTICLES  Create a Constitution Virginia Plan: Called for a strong nat’l gov’t with 3 parts 1. Legislative Branch w/2 houses-Makes laws -# of lawmakers states sent to Congress depended on states population (more people=more reps) 2. Executive Branch-carry out laws 3. Judicial Branch-enforce laws Who does this proposal benefit?

6 Issue #1-How should the states be represented in the new government? New Jersey Plan: Small states disliked the Virginia plan!!!! William Patterson of N.J  New Plan – Called for a gov’t w/3 branches – Legislative Branch have 1 House (not 2) – Each state has equal votes  regardless of size Kept the small states from being swallowed up by large states

7 GREAT COMPROMISE Roger Sherman of Connecticut came up with a plan that saved the convention 2 Houses of Congress!!! – House of Representatives  represent people based on population – Senate  represents the states, each states has 2 senators

8 Issue #2-How would slaves be counted? Question: Are slaves people or property? 9/10 of slaves live in the South  wanted slaves to count as people North: Slaves = Property, argued if they count as people let them free!!! Resolution: 3/5 Compromise (James Madison) – Slaves would be counted as 3/5 a person when determining population – Violation of D.O.I? – Congress got power to control trade  South nervous about taxes on exports/slave trade Compromise=no taxes on exports and Congress couldn’t interfere with slave trade for 20yrs Fugitive Slave Clause-Escaped slaves had to be returned to owners

9 Issue #3-How should the Chief Executive be elected? 1 executive or 3??? – Congress agreed on 1 executive =President, 4 year term, and has a VP How to choose the executive=People or Congress? Resolution=ELECTORAL COLLEGE!!! – Took 60 votes!!! Special body that elects gov’t leaders

10 Resolution=ELECTORAL COLLEGE!!! Made up of electors who cast vote for president every 4 years Same # of electors in electoral college as there are in congress Originally voted for 2 cadidates w/o saying who was for Pres/VP, most votes became Pres. Problems with the electoral college? 2000 election

11 Convention Ends Needed 9 states to ratify, but who should ratify? – Ratify: to approve a plan or agreement – Thought the people were the “fountain of all power” Had a special convention to ratify Constitution-Delegates were elected by the people September 17, 1787: Constitution complete, printed in every newspaper Plan created a federal system of gov’t: Where a strong nat’l gov’t shares powers with the states

12 Federalists/Anti-Federalists Federalist Supported the Constitution – James Madison, Alexander Hamilton – Believed in a strong nat’l gov’t  feared freedom would be threatened and rights would be taken away – Federalists Papers: Newspaper essays, recalled the weaknesses of gov’t under the Articles Anti-federalist Opposed the Constitution – Felt Congress would ruin the country w/taxes – Didn’t list the rights of people – Saw the president as a king – Judicial Branch would swallow up state courts


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