1. Constitutional Convention\

2. Introduction
After the failure of the Articles of Confederation, delegates from each state (except Rhode Island) convened in Philadelphia to create a new Constitution
55 delegates from 12 states attended
Each state had its own agenda usually based on:
Big States v. Little States
Free States v. Slave States

3. Independence Hall and Liberty Bell

4. Representation Virginia Big State
Two plans for the National Government are presented at the Constitutional Convention
Virginia Plan (Big State Plan)
New Jersey Plan (Little State Plan)
Virginia
Big State
New Jersey
Little State

5. Representation Virginia Plan: New Jersey Plan: VA REPS NJ REPS VA REPS
Three Branches of Government (Legislative, Executive and Judicial)
Representation based on a state’s population
New Jersey Plan:
One Branch, Unicameral legislature
Representation based equally amongst the states
VA REPS
NJ REPS
VA REPS
NJ REPS

6. Compromise
Neither side was able to pass their proposal, thus a compromise was needed
We call this merging of the New Jersey and Virginia plans the Great Compromise
Great Compromise:
Created a bicameral legislature where each state would receive two Senators and a House of Representatives where each states representation was based on its population
Accepted the three branches of government model
This is the format we have today in Congress

7. Compromise
The other division between the states was the issue of counting slaves in a state’s population
Southern states wanted their slaves to count as part of their population
Northern states did not want slaves to count as part of a state’s populating
3/5th Compromise: Northern and Southern states agree that slaves will count as 3/5th a person in each state’s population

8. Compromise 1 2 3 4 * 5 *

9. Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
After finishing writing the Constitution, ¾ of the states had to ratify (approve) the Constitution.
Some were opposed to ratifying the Constitution until a list of rights were added to the document

10. Federalists v. Anti-Federalists
Wanted to ratify the Constitution immediately
Not concerned with including a list of rights
Anti-Federalists
Refused to approve the Constitution without a list of rights guaranteed to Americans

11. Conclusion
On September 17, a compromise is reached and the Constitution is ratified
By 1791, 10 amendments are added to the Constitution guaranteeing certain rights to the people of the United States
This is the Bill of Rights