The Constitutional Convention Mr. Woodward
Welcome!! Welcome to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As delegates from each state we are here to create a new document that will reform our current government. The Articles of Confederation were a valiant attempt, but overall failed to create a strong central government. We must work together to come up with a system of government that will create a strong nation that will remain that way for all our future descendants.
Schedule of Events Introductions Plan A: The Virginia Plan Plan A: The Virginia Plan Set up of Government Legislature set up Agreements and Disagreements Plan B: The New Jersey Plan Set up of government The Great Compromise The 3/5 Compromise The Slave Trade Signing of the Constitution
Introductions Will each state please stand up and introduce yourself to the other delegates. Tell us all each of the following things. The names of your delegates Your state Your population Interesting fact about your state
Why the Articles of Confederation Failed The central government had no power to raise money. The central government had no power to resolve conflicts between states. The central government had no power to regulate trade or currency. The central government was unable to protect the states from foreign powers.
The Virginia Plan Calls for a strong national government that will be split up into three branches. Legislative Branch Passes the laws Executive Branch Carries out the laws Judicial Branch Decides of the laws were carried out fairly
The Legislature The Legislature would consist of two houses. The seats in each house would be awarded based upon the population of the state. The larger the state, the more seats they would receive in the legislature. Larger states would have more power to create and pass laws than smaller states would.
Agreements & Disagreemtns
The New Jersey Plan This plan would provide more support for small states. Government would still be set up into three branches. Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch
The Legislature There will only be one house in the legislature. Each state, regardless of population would receive one vote in the legislature. This would protect the smaller states and allow them to have just as much of a say as the large states.
Agreements and Disagreements
5 Minute Assessment Write down which plan your state would be supporting and why. Tell me what are the positives and negatives of each plan based upon what state you are from.
The Great Compromise The convention was on the brink of falling apart. Roger Sherman of Connecticut Created a proposal that he believed would satisfy both the large and small states. The Legislature would be split into two houses, Upper House (Senate) Lower House (House of Representatives)
The Lower House The Lower House was known as the House of Representatives. Representatives would be elected by popular vote. Seats in this house would be awarded to each state according to its population.
The Upper House The Upper house was known as the Senate. The representatives in the Senate would be chosen by the state legislatures. Each state, no matter what its size, would receive two state senators.
Northern vs. Southern Conflict
Conflict #1 Should slaves be counted into each state’s population?
The Three-Fifths Compromise There were also conflicts between northern and southern states How should slaves be counted into the population? South: should be taken into account North: since they cannot vote, they should not be. They compromised 3/5 of the slave population would be included in the population count.
3/5 Compromise If a state had 5,000 slaves, only 3,000 of them would be counted into the population. A slave was basically declared as 3/5 of a person. This allowed for southern states to account for slaves, but not gain too much power in the lower house.
Conflict #2 Should the slave trade be outlawed in the United States?
The Slave Trade Northern states wanted to ban the trading of slaves throughout the country. Southern states believe it would ruin their economy. Compromise Congress could not outlaw the slave trade for 20 years No state could stop a fugitive slave from being returned to an owner who claimed that slave.