CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION A MEETING TO FIX THE CONSTITUTION

SHAYS’ REBELLION Falling crops prices and lack of payment for service during the American Revolution left farmers impoverished and unable to pay their bills so they were sent to debtors prison or their farms or homes were taken. Daniel Shays and his followers held up several courts in Massachusetts so no others could be sent to prison. The federal government was unable to stop the rebellion.

CAUSES Lack of money and power left the government unable to protect people’s rights or function properly. Many Americans worried about the Confederation government’s ability or inability to maintain law and order.

THE CONVENTION Pennsylvania State Courthouse now known as Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA. May to September1787 55 Delegates from 12 of the 13 states Planned to fix or revise the Articles of Confederation Kept a record that would remain secret for 30 years Wrote a new constitution

DISAGREEMENTS What would be the best way to resolve the problem of representation in Congress? What would be the best way to resolve the problem of how to count slaves in the population? What would be the best way to resolve the problem of the slave trade and runaway slaves?

THE COMPROMISES New Jersey Plan (small states) called for equal representation Virginia Plan (large states) called for representation based on population (1) Great Compromise was made by Benjamin Franklin and Roger Sherman which split the legislature into two houses the House of Representatives (pop.) and the Senate(=).

THE COMPROMISES Northern States wanted slaves to be counted in the population for taxes but not representation. Southern States wanted slaves to be counted in the population for representation but not taxes (2) Three-Fifths Compromise 3/5’s of the slave population would be counted for representation and taxes.

THE COMPROMISES Northern States wanted to ban the importation of slaves Southern States refused to ratify a plan that would not allow the importation of slaves (3) Slavery Congress could not ban the slave trade until 1808 (Inside the U.S. was still possible). Words such as slavery and slave were left out of the Constitution and in their place used the words “free Persons” and “all other Persons”

SIGNING THE CONSTITUTION Signed on September 17, 1787 Only 3 of the remaining delegates did not sign The Constitution was sent to the Confederation Congress, then to the states for ratification. Ratification of the Constitution was heavily debated by those that supported it (Federalists) and those who opposed it (Anti-Federalists).

RATIFYING THE CONSTITUTION Anti-Federalists Opposed the Constitution A federal government with too much power will become tyrannical and abuse people’s rights A Bill of Right’s must be added Federalists Supported the Constitution A strong government is needed to run the country effectively Branches of government can check each others power Government powers are limited