Forming a Government, 1777-1791: Creating the Constitution United States History 8 Unit 2, Chapter 5, Section 3

Main Idea A new constitution provided a framework for a stronger national government

Constitutional Convention Feb. 1787: Confederation Congress in Philadelphia had the goal of improving the Articles of Confederation May 1787: Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington was president of the Convention Women, African Americans & Native Americans could not take part: they did not yet have rights as citizens

Great Compromise -bicameral legislature -number of representatives based on state populations in lower house -number of representatives equal from each state in upper house Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan Gave more power to national government Bicameral legislature Number in both houses based on population Gave more power to state governments Unicameral legislature Number of representatives equal from each state

Three-Fifths Compromise To appease the southern states, three-fifths of the slaves in each state would count as part of the population to decide how many representatives a state would have The Commerce Compromises allowed congress to levy tariffs on imports but not exports & allowed importation of slaves until the end of 1807

The Living Constitution Federalist Government: each state must obey the authority of the federal, or national, government. States have control of local government, education, creating and overseeing civil and criminal law, protecting citizens Checks and Balances: shared and balanced power between the legislative, executive & judicial branches to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful Final draft completed Sept. 1787, sent to Congress first, then to states for ratification

Constitution Strengthens the National Government Weakness of the Articles of Confederation Strengths of the Constitution Most power held by national government Three branches of government Legislative branch has many powers Executive branch led by president Judicial branch t0 review laws Firm system of checks and balances Most power held by states One branch of government Legislative branch has few powers No executive branch No judicial system No system of checks and balances

Benjamin Franklin Lived 1706-1790 Invented bifocals and the lightning rod, helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris with Britain Was a printer (Pennsylvania Gazette), publisher (Poor Richard: An Almanack), creator of the first circulating library, the first president of the University of Pennsylvania, inventor, scientist, philosopher, musician, economist, minister to France & the first Postmaster General