The Constitutional Convention

The Convention Assembles Chapter 5, Section 2 In May 1787, delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia to try to fix the problems of the new United States government. This meeting, known as the Constitutional Convention, produced the United States Constitution, the document that has governed the United States for over 200 years. One particularly influential delegate at the Constitutional Convention was James Madison of Virginia. Before the convention, Madison spent a year thinking about how to create a new government. At the convention, he took detailed notes that would later become the best record of the proceedings. For his role, he became known as “the father of the Constitution.”

Divisions at the Convention Chapter 5, Section 2 The convention in Philadelphia had been empowered only to amend, or revise, the Articles of Confederation, not to replace them. However, two plans for a new national government emerged at the convention. The two plans were known as the Virginia Plan and The New Jersey Plan.

Reaching Agreements Chapter 5, Section 2 In the Great Compromise, delegates agreed to create a legislative branch made up of two houses. One house, the Senate, would have the same number of representatives from each state. In the other house, the House of Representatives, representation would be based on state population. Another difficult issue was whether or not to include enslaved persons when determining a state’s population and therefore its representation. According to the Three-Fifths Compromise, three fifths of a state’s slave population would be counted when determining representation. After further debate, the convention approved the final draft of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. The strengths of the Constitution have helped it endure for more than 200 years.

Government Structure Federal and State Powers Chapter 5, Section 2 Federal and State Powers The Constitution created a federal system of government, in which power is shared among state and national authorities. In a federal system of government, powers are divided into three categories: Some powers are reserved for the states only. Others are delegated to the federal government only. Still others, called concurrent powers, are held by both the federal government and state governments. Separation of Federal Powers Within the federal government, a separation of powers was created to prevent any one of the three branches of government from acquiring too much power. Each branch has its own area of authority, but no one branch has complete power over the government. The Constitution also set up a system of checks and balances, in which each branch has the power to check, or stop, the other branches in certain ways. This system prevents the misuse of power by any one branch.

Congress, the President, and the Federal Courts Chapter 5, Section 2 The Federal Courts “Interpret the law” The Constitution calls for one Supreme Court and several lesser courts, although the details of the federal court system were intentionally left vague. Supreme Court justices would be appointed for life by the President with the consent of the Senate. Congress “Makes the law” Each of the two houses of Congress was granted different powers. Each was also designed with different methods of election and different term lengths, making the House more receptive to public opinion and the Senate more stable. The President “Carries out the law” The President would be chosen by a group of electors from each state. The candidate with the majority of votes in the electoral college, or group of electors, would become President. The President was granted enormous powers, including the power to veto acts of Congress and to appoint judges for the federal courts.