1. American History 1 – Constitutional Convention

2. Articles of Confederation
What kind of government was set up?
Weak
Who had power?
States
Who lacked power?
Federal government
See notes chart of a list of problems

3. Did anything get done under the Articles?
Yes.
We negotiated our peace with Great Britain.
Treaty of Paris, 1783
Adams, Franklin, Jay
Recognized U.S. independence
Gave U.S. fishing rights
Doubled size of the new nation
US ends persecution of Loyalists
Ratified by Continental Congress early in 1784

5. Land Ordinance, 1785
Townships, public schools

6. Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Laid out the process through which a territory could move to statehood
Old Northwest (north of Ohio R. and east of Miss. R.)
Eligible for statehood at 60,000 inhabitants
Prohibited slavery

7. Shays Rebellion
Mass. Farmers’ revolt showed weaknesses of the Articles.
Other weaknesses found in notes chart

8. The Articles need to be changed. How?
1787 – Each state sends delegates to Philadelphia to fix the Articles of Confederation
George Washington unanimously elected President of the Convention.

9. Constitutional Convention
Decide to discard the Articles and write a new Constitution
Secrecy rule was enforced
55 delegates

11. Plans for the new government
Virginia Plan – James Madison
Called for three branches of government
Two-house (bicameral) legislature with each state’s representation based on population
Appealed to large states (VA, MA, PA, NY)
Disliked by small states

12. New Jersey Plan Called for three branches of government
One-house legislature – equal representation – one vote per state
Smaller states liked this (NJ, DE, MD)

13. Great Compromise
After six weeks of heated debate, Roger Sherman of Connecticut comes up with…
The Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan) – create a two-house (bicameral) legislature with:
Each state having equal representation in the Senate
House of Representatives based on population

15. What to do when counting slaves?
Representation, taxation, etc.
North doesn’t want slaves counted
South does
Three-Fifths Compromise – every five enslaved persons counts as three persons (each slave counts as 3/5 of a person)

16. Commerce/Slave Trade
North felt Congress should be able to regulate interstate and foreign commerce
South didn’t like this because they feared that Congress would tax their exports

17. Slavery?
Southerners worried that Congress might stop slave trade (importation of slaves into the U.S.) – their “peculiar institution” would be in danger

18. Compromise
Southerners agreed that Congress could regulate trade between states and with other countries;
Northerners agreed that Congress could not tax exports and could not interfere with slave trade before 1808.

19. Another Compromise: The Electoral College
Some delegates though that Congress should choose the president;
Some thought that the people should decide.
Solution = Electoral College – group of people would be named by state legislatures to select president and vice-president.
(today, voters choose electors)

21. To the states… Sept. 17, 1787 – Constitution was signed
Sent to state ratifying conventions – 9 out of 13 had to agree before it would become law

22. Supporters and Opponents
Supporters of the Constitution’s ratification were called Federalists
Opponents of the Constitution’s ratification were called Anti-Federalists
felt that too much power was given to the national government
Demanded the inclusion of a Bill of Rights

23. George Nicholas – VA Federalist
“If I have 500 acres…”

24. Bill of Rights
Guarantee of individual freedoms was agreed to be added later
To ease Anti-Federalist fears
June 21, 1788 – New Hampshire becomes 9th state to ratify, Constitution goes into effect