11/13 Warm-Up: This is a painting of the Constitutional Convention by Howard Chandler Christy 1. What do you think is happening in this painting? 2. Based on your prior knowledge about the problems under the Articles of Confederation, what do you think they are trying to do at this meeting? 3. What key figures do you think attended this meeting?

11/13 Objective: 5. What problems did our Founding Fathers face at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787? The student will discover the issues of the Constitutional convention by listening, discussing, and taking notes.

Constitutional Convention

Events and Economic conditions after the Revolutionary War Economic depression No states south of Pennsylvania abolished slavery Shay’s Rebellion

Five Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation 1. Disagreement over status of land west of the 13 colonies. 2. The country was suffering deep financial troubles. 3. Congress printed of large amounts of money to finance the Revolution Continentals- led to inflation 4. Took loans from France and Netherlands 5. Plan to give articles power to tax but was stopped by one vote from Rhode Island.

The Constitutional Convention Where? 53 delegates met in absolute secrecy in Philadelphia in Independence hall 30 delegates attended every day When? Summer of 1787 The Purpose? The goal was to revise the Articles of Confederation It was quickly decided to replace it

Key people and their contributions to the Constitutional Convention George Washington President of Convention May 25 and present through signing Supported ratifying the Constitution Ben Franklin Arrived May 28 and present through signing Attendant of Pennsylvania James Madison Arrived may 25 through signing of Constitution Writing Virginia Plan (“Father of Constitution”) Kept notes on Constitution that public would see Alexander Hamilton Presented through signing May 25 Introduction and defense of the Hamilton Plan-June 18, 1787 Secretary of Treasury

James Madison “Father of the Constitution” Spent 2 years reading over 1200 books on government Came with a new plan: Virginia Plan Virginia Plan was introduced by friend: Edmund Randolph

Forming A New Government: What’s the best plan? Delegates at the convention had many different ideas about how to create a stronger central government but agreeing on a plan that would work for everyone wasn’t easy. First, they had to resolve a number of problems.

Problems in the Colonies Problem # 1: How many votes a state had in Congress was a problem. The large states wanted representation to be determined by population. The smaller states wanted all states to be equally represented. Problem # 2: The Southern states with large slave populations wanted slaves to count towards representation in the House, but not for tax purposes. The Northern states felt slaves (considered property) should be taxed but not represented. Problem # 3: Colonists who opposed slavery wanted the slave trade abolished (ended) but supporters of slavery wanted the slave trade to continue (business as usual). Problem # 4: Southerners exported many agricultural goods, especially cotton to Britain. They did not want the federal government to be allowed to put tariffs (or taxes) on their exports. Northern business interests wanted tariffs to protect them from foreign competition. Problem # 5: There was a general agreement on the need for a president but the question of how long the term of office should be was a problem. Suggestions ranged from three years to life. Some people wanted the president directly elected by the people but others mistrusted the people.

Let’s see if your group came up with the same solutions as the framers?  Read, Five Constitutional Compromises  Complete your graphic organizers based on the text

Problem # 1: How many votes a state had in Congress was a problem. The large states wanted representation to be determined by population. The smaller states wanted all states to be equally represented. Suggested Plans The Virginia Plan The larger states favored the Virginia Plan proposed by Sir Edmund Rudolf which stated… Each state would have a different number of representatives in Congress based on the state's population. National Government would have 3 Branches (Executive, Legislative and Judicial). The Virginia Plan The larger states favored the Virginia Plan proposed by Sir Edmund Rudolf which stated… Each state would have a different number of representatives in Congress based on the state's population. National Government would have 3 Branches (Executive, Legislative and Judicial). The New Jersey Plan The smaller states favored the New Jersey Plan proposed by William Patterson which stated… No matter how many people live in a state the number of representatives in Congress would be the same for each state. National Government would have 2 parts (The Senate and the House of Representatives). The New Jersey Plan The smaller states favored the New Jersey Plan proposed by William Patterson which stated… No matter how many people live in a state the number of representatives in Congress would be the same for each state. National Government would have 2 parts (The Senate and the House of Representatives).

Problem # 1: How many votes a state had in Congress was a problem. The large states wanted representation to be determined by population. The smaller states wanted all states to be equally represented. Compromise: Connecticut offered a compromise: a bicamerial (two house) legislature with equal state representation in the Senate and representation according to state population in the House of Representatives.

The GREAT COMPROMISE Bicameral (2 house)  House of Representatives determined by population  Senate equally represented (each state has 2)

Bi-camerial Congress= (Two House) # of Representatives Determined by State Population Equal # of Representatives Each state gets 2 senators

Problem # 2: The Southern states with large slave populations wanted slaves to count towards representation in the House, but not for tax purposes. The Northern states felt slaves (considered property) should be taxed but not represented. Compromise: It was finally agreed that each five slaves would be counted as three persons for both taxation and representation purposes. =

According to the 3/5 th Compromise, how many white people are there? How many slaves?

Problem # 3: (Slavery) Colonists who opposed slavery wanted the slave trade abolished (ended) but supporters of slavery wanted the slave trade to continue (business as usual). Compromise: They succeeded in having the importation of slavery forbidden after However, slavery itself would be aloud to exist. ABOLISHED PLANTATION STILL O.K.

Problem # 4 (Tariffs): Southerners exported many agricultural goods, especially cotton to Britain. They did not want the federal government to be allowed to put tariffs (or taxes) on their exports. Northern business interests wanted tariffs to protect them from foreign competition. Compromise: Congress was given the authority to tax imports (goods entering the country) but forbidden to tax exports.

Problem # 5: There was a general agreement on the need for a president but the question of how long the term of office should be was a problem. Suggestions ranged from three years to life. Some people wanted the president directly elected by the people but others mistrusted the people. Compromise: (The Presidency) Presidents may serve a four year term office and elections would be indirect through the “electoral college” system.

Ratification (approval) On Sept 17 th, 1787 the delegates gathered for a final vote on the completed Constitution They had created a democratic-republic with a federal system and popular sovereignty Now needed the approval of 9 of 13 states

T HE D EBATE FOR THE PEOPLE ’ S APPROVAL BEGINS …

Federalists… Supported quick ratification Felt that the federal government should have supremacy –Wanted a Strong Central Government James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay

Federalist Papers 85 newspaper essays explaining all about the Constitution Did a great job explaining the intention of the document Most of the Federalist Papers were written anonymously

Anti-Federalists… Without a Bill of Rights in the Constitution, the individual rights of the people are limited. If too much power is given to one person, the president, then they may become too powerful and eventually dictate the country. -Feared a strong central government Would not ratify Constitution without a Bill of Rights like the English Bill of Rights George Mason, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson

Ratified! June 21, 1788 New Hampshire became 9 th state to ratify and it was then official Only because Federalists promised to add Bill of Rights immediately

OUR CONSTITUTION

11/13 Journal: 5. What problems did our Founding Fathers face at the Philadelphia Convention of 1787?