Road To the Constitution
Failure of Articles of Confederation State governments too powerful: Power to tax: Power to regulate trade: Power to dictate policy to national government: Power to raise militia:
Need For a Stronger National Government Great Britain was waiting for the United States to fail: Large states taking advantage of small states: U-N-I-T-E-D STATES was not united:
solution “Constitutional Convention”
Government officials realized after Shays’ Rebellion that a change was needed A convention of representatives from each state were called to Philadelphia in 1787
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATES TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
STATEHOUSE IN PHILADELPHIA SITE OF THE CONVENTION
INSIDE OF STATEHOUSE (TODAY) SITE OF THE CONVENTION
There were 74 men asked to come to Philadelphia but only delegates arrived in Philadelphia 55
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
The average age of a delegate was 44 years old
BEN FRANKLIN (Pennsylvania) was the oldest at age 81 JONATHAN DAYTON (New Jersey) was the youngest at age 26
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Most had some experience as politicians in their home states
40 of the delegates had been members of the Continental Congress
PROFESSION: 34 of the 55 were lawyers Also included soldiers, planters, educators, ministers, physicians, financiers, and merchants
Most were very wealthy and many owned slaves ECONOMIC STATUS: Most were very wealthy and many owned slaves
All the delegates were white men RACE: All the delegates were white men
None of the delegates were African-Americans, women, poor LEFT OUT: None of the delegates were African-Americans, women, poor
Guidelines for the Convention Work of the Convention would remain a secret: White, highly educated, successful men with political experience would be sent: A majority vote was required on an issue: George Washington would preside over the Convention:
Problems at the convention Small States and Large State cannot agree on representation; Northern States and Southern States cannot agree on the issue of slavery; Federalist and Anti-Federalist cannot agree on the power of the National Government:
Bicameral Legislature (Two – houses) Virginia Plan: Proposed by: Edmund Randolf Bicameral Legislature (Two – houses) Both houses will base representation on population with equal number of representatives in each house Will have a president, legislature, and court system—Three Branches of Government! Chief executive chosen by legislature and court system
Unicameral Legislature (One – house) New Jersey Plan: Proposed by: William Patterson Unicameral Legislature (One – house) Representation in legislature will be the same for all states Congress could tax and regulate trade
Great Compromise AKA Connecticut Plan: Proposed by: Roger Sherman Resolved Virginia and New Jersey Plans Bicameral legislature (Two – houses) Representation in one house (the House of Representatives) will be determined by population (representative elected by the people) Representation in the other house (the Senate) will be the same for each state (two per state, elected by the state legislature)
How to deal with problems with Commerce and slavery…
Commerce compromise Fixing problems with commerce and trade Congress was allowed to regulate interstate and foreign trade. Congress could tax imports, but not exports Congress was forbidden to restrict the importation of slaves for 20 years, but could levy a tax, for every imported slave as much as $10. Slaves were not considered free if they ran away to a free state, but rather had to be returned if caught.
Three-Fifths Compromise Slavery compromise: Three-Fifths Compromise Counted every 5 slaves as 3 free persons for taxation and representation purposes in Congress.
How do will we elect our president? Elected by Congress?? Elected by the people?? Compromise: The Electoral College
Anti-Federalists disapproved What problems did the “framers” of the Constitution face AFTER the Constitutional Convention? Anti-Federalists disapproved Federalists fought against Anti-Federalists
The end