The Constitutional Convention 1787 C&E Notes 1.05 The Constitutional Convention 1787

Key Terms Articles of Confederation Shays’ Rebellion Great Compromise (VA Plan and NJ Plan) Three-Fifths Compromise Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise Electoral College Federalists and Anti-Federalists

Confederation Successes Northwest Ordinance 1787 Land Ordinance of 1785

Articles of Confederation

The Road to the Convention Why was the convention called? Failure of the Articles of Confederation (AoC) Shays’ Rebellion

Weaknesses of the AOC Weakness No Executive Branch No National Court System (Judicial) Each state = 1 vote in Congress Effect No way to coordinate the government Difficult to settle disputes among states Representation was undemocratic

Weaknesses of the AOC Weakness No power for law enforcement No power to levy or collect taxes No power to regulate interstate or foreign trade 9 states needed to approve new laws 13 states to change Effect States did what they pleased Gov. short of money Fighting among the states – Bad relations with other countries Difficult to pass laws Impossible to changes

Amendments to the AOC required 13 states Almost impossible to make changes

Shays’ Rebellion

Shays’ Rebellion

What was the Goal of the Convention? The goal of the convention was to create a federal system (shared power between a national government and the states.)

Early Decision Discard the AoC and write a new document, THE CONSTITUTION

COMPROMISES Great Compromise Who? Big states v. Small states Disagreement? Should representation in Congress be based on population or be equal? Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan

Arguments Virginia Plan The # of representatives a state gets in Congress should be based on the population of the state The large states believed this was more democratic New Jersey Plan The # of representatives a state gets in Congress should be equal The small states feared the larger states would have too much power

The Great Compromise

Great Compromise

Three-fifths Compromise Who? Northern and Southern states Disagreement? Should slaves count toward representation/taxes? Reps: South = YES North = NO Taxes: South = NO North = YES Compromise? Three-fifths of a state's slave population would count toward representation and taxes.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise Who? Northern and Southern states Disagreement? South: Did not want the National government to regulate trade between the states (feared end of slave trade.) The North did. Compromise? South allowed National government to regulate commerce, North agreed that Congress could not interfere with the slave trade for twenty years or tax exports.

Electoral College Question How should the President be selected? (People or Congress?) Solution: Electoral College -- state legislatures choose electors who vote for the President and Vice President.

Ratification Federalists -- supported the Constitution Anti-Federalists -- Opposed the Constitution (National too powerful) Solution: Bill of Rights (protected individual liberty)