Chapter 2: Origins of American Government Section 4

Objectives Identify the Framers of the Constitution and discuss how they organized the Philadelphia Convention. Compare and contrast the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. Summarize the convention’s major compromises and the effects of those decisions. Describe the delegates’ reactions to the Constitution.

Key Terms Framers: Virginia Plan: New Jersey Plan:

Key Terms, cont. Connecticut Compromise Three-Fifths Compromise: Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise:

Introduction (Do NOT Write This) What compromises enabled the Framers to create the Constitution? The Connecticut Compromise The Three-Fifths Compromise The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

The Framers The Constitutional Convention began on May 25, 1787, with 55 delegates. All Framers were from creditable backgrounds These individuals, called the Framers, came from many backgrounds: Many had fought in the Revolutionary War. Eight had signed the Declaration of Independence. 34 had attended college at a time when it was a rare achievement. Two would become President, one a Vice President, nineteen a U.S. Senator, and thirteen a member of the House of Representatives.

A New Government The Framers elected George Washington as president of the convention. Rules Majority of states had to be present to conduct business. One vote each A majority vote elects proposal NOTE TO TEACHERS: The above image depicts George Washington, who was president of the Constitutional Convention.

A New Government, cont. Replace Articles of Confederation. What were the Articles of Confederation. James Madison “Father of the Constitution”. 89 days to write the Document What type of government should we have?

The Virginia Plan This plan called for a government with three separate branches: E L J Representation in Congress should be based on Population and money. Create a strong centralized government unlike the Articles of Conf It would be able to force states to obey federal law. The members of Congress chose the Exec and Judicial.

The New Jersey Plan Congress representation would be based on Territory. Equal Representation. More of a limited government then the Virginia Plan. Executive would be chosen by Congress and the Exec would chose the Judicial

Connecticut Compromise ( A Compromise of both plans) Small states feared that larger states would dominate them under the Virginia Plan. The Connecticut Compromise, also called the Great Compromise, solved this dispute. House is based on Population Senate is based on equal representation Checkpoint Answer: The combining of elements of the Virginia and New Jersey Plans to create a bicameral federal Congress in which state representation in the Senate would be equal while representation in the House of Representatives would be based upon state population.

Additional Compromises The Three-Fifths Compromise counted each slave as three-fifths of a person when figuring representation in Congress. Under the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise, Congress could not tax state exports or interfere with the slave trade until 1808.

A Bundle of Compromises The Constitution they approved on September 17, 1787, has thus been called a “bundle of compromises.” Not completely satisfied though! Checkpoint Answer: Because the Framers had to make a number of compromises about many specific details of how the new government would function in order to gain enough votes to approve the document.