Delegates of the Constitutional Convention compromised to come up with a plan for a strong central government.

Discuss with your neighbor what you know about the document above.

Social Studies Standard 8.2.3: Evaluate the major debates that occurred during the development of the Constitution and their ultimate resolutions in such areas as shared power among institutions, divided state-federal power, slavery, the rights of individuals and states. Social Studies 8.2.4: Describe the political philosophy underpinning the Constitution as specified in the Federalist Papers and the role of such leaders as George Washington, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, and James Wilson in the writing and ratification of the Constitution. Reading Comprehension 8.2.2: Analyze text that uses proposition and support patterns.

proposition: an important claim or opinion that the author presents. support: the information the author uses to back up this proposition.

judicial branch: consists of a system of courts to interpret the law. compromise: an agreement in which each side gives up part of what it wants.

The Constitutional Convention Begins Aims of the Convention: Congress intended to revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates realized this would not be enough. The Delegates 55 delegates from 12 states participated in the convention. Rhode Island did not send any representatives. Washington was quickly voted president of the convention. Delegates included George Washington, Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, & James Madison (he took careful notes on the meetings).

The Virginia Plan Three Branches of Government Congress would continue to be the legislative branch. The executive branch would carry out the laws. The judicial branch would consist of a system of courts to interpret the law. A Two-House Legislature The Virginia Plan called for a lower house and an upper house. After much debate, the delegates agreed both houses should be elected by the people.

The Great Compromise After fierce debate, delegates agreed on a plan (compromise) that satisfied both large and small states. One part of the Virginia Plan called for representation based on population. The more people a state had, the more seats it would have in each house. The big states like Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts supported this idea.

The Great Compromise After fierce debate, delegates agreed on a plan that satisfied both large and small states. The smaller states opposed this plan. They wanted each state to have the same number of votes in Congress. William Paterson introduced the New Jersey Plan, which called for one house with equal representation for each state. The new plan also expanded the powers of Congress to raise money and regulate commerce.

The Great Compromise After fierce debate, delegates agreed on a plan that satisfied both large and small states. Finally Roger Sherman of Connecticut worked out a “Great Compromise” that he hoped would satisfy both the large and small states. There would be a two-house Congress. It would consist of a lower house called the House of Representatives, to please the large states. Representatives would be selected by a vote of the people to serve two-year terms.

The Great Compromise After fierce debate, delegates agreed on a plan that satisfied both large and small states. The upper house, or Senate, would consist of two representatives from each state, to please small states. Senators would serve six-year terms. State legislatures would choose senators.

Debates over Slavery Debates among the delegates over slavery indicated just how deeply divided the North and South were. Southern delegates wanted slaves to be counted in calculating how many representatives a state should have in Congress. Northern delegates said that because enslaved people could not vote, they should not be counted toward a state’s representation. The “Three-Fifths Compromise” was finally agreed on to end the debate. Each slave would count as three- fifths of a free person.

Debates over Slavery Debates among the delegates over slavery indicated just how deeply divided the North and South were. Some northern delegates wanted to ban the buying and selling of people anywhere in the country. Southern delegates protested that a ban would ruin the South’s economy. A compromise was reached that would allow slave traders to bring enslaved people into the country for a period of 20 years. The slave trade within the U.S. was not affected.

A New Constitution The Constitution of the United States derives its authority from “We the People of the United States.” The delegates agreed on all the terms after many more weeks of debate. A Committee of Style was appointed to draw up the final wording of the Constitution. Gouverneur Morris, a gifted writer, was largely responsible for writing the Preamble, or introduction.