Creating a Constitution Chapter: 5 Section: 1 Neil Krishnan Period: 3

The Constitutional Covention Key Terms to look for: –Bicameral –Great Compromise –Three Fifths Compromise

Agreement and Disagreement Delegates already agreed a national government was needed. Montesquieu’s principles of the separation of powers was a genuine idea of all delegates. separation of powers However, the delegates disagreed on many other key issues. Other questions came about that related to key problems about this new government, a long convention is what delegates foresaw. The late Montesquieu

Getting Organized Key?- What did the delegates do in order to make an organized government? The Constitutional Convention took place in the state house of Pennsylvania in 1787 Making a strong government meant long hours of serious debates Friday, May 25, General George Washington selected as presiding officer. Many rules that were adopted, stated that discussions are best kept secret. –Decided notes are not taken out –Doors and windows are shut –Conversations are only to be discussed inside the court house

Getting Organized (cont.) On average 40 delegates met six days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. without any food break. Other, more strict rules were enforced such as –Each state would only get one vote –No one could pass notes, read, or talk while others were speaking

Madison’s Plan At first the delegates voted to not revise the Articles of Confederation. The delegates believed that they needed a new plan James Madison, suggested legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government. Legislative: House of Representative, Senate; elect member of the house directly The number of seats in the house was by population of each state Delegates feared government would be too strong. Madison's Plan was too “radical” 04-the-american-constitution-the- virginia-plan-video.htm

Sharing Power Through the summer delegates argued over who should have power. Came to a conclusion: States would be given some powers, Government would be given some powers and some powers would be shared by both. Northern States: wanted to regulate trade and outlaw slavery Southern States: opposed because they need slaves to work their plantations Compromised due to the dire need of government –Would regulate trade –Would not interfere with slave trade however till 1808

Reaching Compromise Now that the delegates had a general plan of government they needed to know how it would be organized In the Virginia plan, seats were based on population, small sates thought they would be out voted So William Patterson drafted another plan called the New Jersey plan which there would be equal representation Temper flared between both sides A compromise was created by Roger Sherman on Connecticut It said for a bicameral legislature The House of Representatives would be based on population but each state would have two senators regardless of the population. Great Compromise- because each side gave up part of what it wanted in order to benefit all

Executive and Judicial Branches No branch to enforce laws (executive), and no branch to interpret laws (judicial). Decided that the President would be given the executive power rather than a committee. They created the Supreme Court as part of establishing the Judicial Branch Argued about who should elect Congress and the President. The people should vote because their voice in America would take into account their opinion, but people like Roger Sherman said that the people are uneducated and could make bad decisions Citizens-white men with property-would vote for the House Legislature would vote for the Senator The Electoral College would choose the president

The Signing The committee finalized the constitution The convention had ended, 39 delegates signed the constitution Benjamin Franklin said that they had produced a strong plan. Known as the Framers because they shaped our government.

Work Cited "American President: James Madison." Miller Center of Public Affairs. Web. 26 Sept "Baron De Montesquieu, Charles-Louis De Secondat (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)." Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 26 Sept "HowStuffWorks Videos "The American Constitution: The Virginia Plan"" Howstuffworks "Video Channel" Web. 26 Sept