1. Constitutional Convention
Members
Principles
Agreements and Compromises

2. Members White 55 delegates Males
Statesmen, lawyers, planters. bankers, businessmen
Most under age 50
ABSENT from the Convention
John Adams- ambassador to England
Thomas Jefferson- ambassador to France
Patrick Henry- “smelled a rat”
Sam Adams- not chosen by state to be part of the delegation

3. Famous Members Alexander Hamilton- leader of strong government
George Washington- chairman of the convention
James Madison- ‘father of the Constitution’
Benjamin Franklin- oldest member at 81 was also at the 2nd Continental Congress

5. Agreements and Compromises
All agreed that rights to property should be protected.
Ben Franklin proposed universal suffrage for all males, but most wanted only those with land to vote
Most delegates favored a bicameral legislature

6. Agreements and Compromises
Virginia Plan- favored by large states
Proposed by Edmund Randolph
Written by James Madison
Endorsed by Alexander Hamilton
Wanted Government with a bicameral legislature
Large house elected by popular vote
Smaller house chosen by larger house members from nominees chosen by state legislatures
Number of Representatives based on wealth

7. Agreements and Compromises
New Jersey Plan- favored by small states
Proposed by William Paterson
Unicameral house
Each state one vote
Did not require a strong central government

8. The Great Compromise Aka: Connecticut Compromise
Bicameral house- benefit all states
One house called Senate (Small states happy)
Members chosen by the state legislatures
Each state gets one vote
One house called House of Representatives(Lg. States)
Members chosen by population
Number of members based on population

10. Agreements and Compromises
Three-fifths clause
favors Southern states
All slaves would be counted in the census for representation in the House as 3/5ths of a man

11. Agreements and Compromises
Electoral College
People chosen by the state legislatures
Vote for president and vice-president
Supposed to reflect the will of the people

12. Agreements and Compromises
Amendment compromise
2/3 vote of each house of Congress and ratified by ¾ of the state legislatures
2/3 vote of both houses and ratified by state conventions of ¾ of the states (used 21st amendment)

14. General Contents of the Articles of the Constitution Provides organized structure of how the government is supposed to work
PREAMBLE – States the purposes of government
Article 1: Legislative Branch
Article 2: Executive Branch
Article 3: Judicial Branch
Article 4: Relations among the States
Article 5: Amending Process
Article 6: National Supremacy
Article 7: Ratification of the Constitution

15. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH – makes laws CONGRESS
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
435 members
Based On Population
TERM LEVEL – 2 years
SENATE
100 members
2 per state
Each state has equal representation
TERM LEVEL – 6 years
Each member serves on committees

16. EXECUTIVE BRANCH Enforces Laws
PRESIDENT
TERM LEVEL – 4 years
VICE PRESIDENT
President of the Senate
TERM LEVEL – 4 years
15 Executive Departments (Cabinet)
Each headed by a “Secretary”
Independent Agencies (NASA, Post Office, FDA, CDC, etc)

17. JUDICIAL BRANCH– interprets laws
SUPREME COURT
9 Justices
TERM LEVEL – Life terms
COURT of APPEALS
Appeal Courts
DISTRICT COURTS
Trial Courts

18. The Bill of Rights The First 10 Amendments to the Constitution
Take notes on the slides as they appear.

19. 1st Amendment
The 1st Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly, and petition.
This means that we all have the right to:
practice any religion we want to
to speak freely
to assemble (meet)
to address the government (petition)
to publish newspapers, TV, radio, Internet (press)

20. 1st Amendment Personal Freedoms (Speech, religion, press, assemble)

21. 2nd Amendment
The 2nd Amendment protects the right to bear arms, which means the right to own a gun.

22. 3rd Amendment
The 3rd Amendment says “No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”
This means that we cannot be forced to house or quarter soldiers.

23. 4th Amendment
The 4th Amendment protects the people from unreasonable searches and seizures.
This means that the police must have a warrant to enter our homes. It also means the government cannot take our property, papers, or us, without a valid warrant based on probable cause (good reason).

26. 5th Amendment
The 5th Amendment protects people from being held for committing a crime unless they are properly indicted, (accused)
You may not be tried twice for the same crime (double jeopardy)
You don’t have to testify against yourself in court. (Self-incrimination)

27. 6th Amendment
The 6th Amendment guarantees a speedy trial (you can’t be kept in jail for over a year without a trial)
an impartial jury (doesn’t already think you are guilty)
that the accused can confront witnesses against them
the accused must be allowed to have a lawyer

28. 7th Amendment
The 7th Amendment guarantees the right to a speedy civil trial.
A civil trial differs from a criminal trial. A civil trial is when someone sues someone else. A criminal trial is when the state tries to convict someone of a crime.

29. 8th Amendment
The 8th Amendment guarantees that punishments will be fair and not cruel, and that extraordinarily large fines will not be set.

30. 9th Amendment
All rights not stated in the Constitution and not forbidden by the Constitution belong to the people.
This means that the states can do what they want if the Constitution does not forbid it.

31. 10th Amendment
The 10th Amendment states that any power not granted to the federal government belongs to the states or to the people.

32. FREEDOM of Religion, Press, Speech, Assembly, Petition
"BILL OF RIGHTS"
First 10 Amendments to the Constitution in 1791 Rights and freedoms won in the Revolution are preserved and protected…
Bill of rights
FREEDOM of Religion, Press, Speech, Assembly, Petition
RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS
No QUARTERING of soldiers in peacetime
NO UNREASONABLE SEARCH and SEIZURE
PROTECTION of ACCUSED
RIGHT TO A SPEEDY, PUBLIC TRIAL BY JURY
TRIAL BY JURY IN CIVIL SUITS
NO EXCESSIVE FINES or CRUEL PUNISHMENT
POWERS RESERVED TO THE PEOPLE
POWERS RESERVED TO THE STATES

33. AMENDMENTS

34. AMENDMENTS