1. Constitutional Convention

2. Who? 55 Delegates from the States What? A meeting to discuss the new government When? Summer 1787 Where? Philadelphia (Independence Hall) Why? Originally- to revise the Articles of Confederation

3. 1.James Madison is considered the Father of the Constitution

4. 2. Who was chosen unanimously to preside, or lead, the convention? George Washington Washington

5. 3. Each state would have one vote on all decisions. 4. A majority vote of those states present would make decisions.

6. 5. All sessions were kept secret because it made it possible for the delegates to talk freely.

7. Virginia Plan Proposed by Edmund Randolph-work of James Madison He proposed a two-house legislature with a chief executive chosen by the legislature and a court system.

8. The number of representatives for each state would be proportional to its population. Proportional: corresponding in size Small Population: Smaller # of Representatives Large Population: Larger # of Representatives

9. Who objected to this plan? states with smaller populations Why? They would have less representatives.

10. The New Jersey Plan Kept the one-house legislature Every state would get one vote and representative. Congress could set taxes and regulate trade. Describe the proposed executive branch: weak and consisting of more than one person

11. In your opinion, who do YOU think might disagree with the plan? Why? States with high populations. State with 400,000 people who have the same amount of representation as states with 50,000 = unfair!

12. 8. Delegates at the Convention had to decide whether to revise the Articles of Confederation or write a new Constitution.

13. 9. Name at least two questions that delegates struggled to deal with. How were slaves going to be counted for taxation and representation? How were members of Congress going to be elected? How would state representation be determined in the upper and lower houses?

14. The Great Compromise Proposed by Roger Sherman Compromise: agreement in which both sides give something up

15. The Great Compromise had a two-house legislature. In the House of Representatives the number of seats for each state would vary according to the state’s population. In the Senate, each state would have two members.

16. The Three-Fifths Compromise Why did Southern states want to include enslaved people in their population? To gain delegates in the House of Representatives Slaves counted in population=higher population=more representatives for the state

17. Northern states argued that the enslaved, as “property,” should be counted for the purpose of taxation, but not for representation. Slaves counted as property=property is taxed=more $ for the government

18. A compromise known as the Three-fifths Compromise was created. It said that each enslaved person would be counted as 3/5 of a free person for both taxation and representation. Every 5 enslaved persons would equal 3 free persons.

19. 12. In order to keep the Southern States in the Nation, Northerners agreed to not interfere with slave trade until 1808. 13. True or False: The new Constitution originally included a Bill of Rights.

20. 14. On September 17, 1787 delegates assembled in Philadelphia to sign the Constitution. 15. Three delegates refused to sign it because it did not include a Bill of Rights. 16. 9 out of 13 had to approve the Constitution for it to become official.