1. “WE THE PEOPLE…”

2. STATS ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION:
12 OUT OF 13 STATES SENT DELEGATES (THANKS A LOT RHODE ISLAND)
55 DELEGATES: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WAS THE OLDEST, ALEXANDER HAMILTON WAS THE YOUNGEST
ABSENT FROM THE CONVENTION: THOMAS JEFFERSON, PATRICK HENRY, JOHN ADAMS, AND JOHN HANCOCK

3. The Constitutional Convention
HELP ME!
When?
Where?
What was the goal of the delegates?
Articles of Confederation

4. Others, however, had a different idea about “fixing” the Articles.
James Madison led a group of delegates who wanted to GET RID OF THE ARTICLES and CREATE A NEW GOVERNMENT that gave most of the power to the NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

5. New Jersey Plan
Virginia Plan
Who?
Legislative
Executive
Judicial

6. SOUNDS GREAT! (WELL SORT OFF…)
Representation…
While the Virginia Plan seemed like a perfect way to set up the government, there were some major issues that needed to be fixed before it could be adopted. These were issues such as…
Slavery/slave trade….
Electing the President…
Conducting commerce…

7. ISSUE: REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS (SMALL STATES VS. LARGE STATES)
CALIFORNIA
RHODE ISLAND

8. THE GREAT COMPROMISE (KEYWORD: REPRESENTATION)
Also called the Connecticut Compromise, created by Roger Sherman
SOLVED THE ISSUE OF REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS

9. Bicameral 1 2

10. The House of Representatives (lower house)
The Compromise created a BICAMERAL CONGRESS, which included the Senate (upper house) and the House of Representatives (lower house)
CONGRESS
The House of Representatives
(lower house)
-Representation based on a state’s population
-More populated states have more of a say
-435 Representatives today
The Senate
(upper house)
-Equal representation: 2 Senators per each state
-Small and large states have equal say
-100 Senators today

12. THE CENSUS
The Compromise also included the idea of a Census, or a population count.
Every 10 years (always ending in a 0), the U.S. counts the population in the country and each state
This is determine a State’s REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS

13. ISSUE # 2: HOW WOULD SLAVES COUNT FOR THE CENSUS?
Now that the Framers figured out how to break up representation in Congress, the question became how should slaves count towards the Census.
Southern States wanted…
Northern states wanted…

14. SOLUTION: SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE…3 /
As in the 3/5th Compromise, which stated that for every 5 slaves, 3 would be counted towards a state’s Representation in Congress.
So, if you really think about it slaves were counted as only 3/5 of a person, meaning that were not viewed as a human. th 5
Was this compromise a positive or a negative?

15. Other issues solved at the Constitutional Convention: Electing the President…
Because the Framers did not trust he judgement of the common American, the electoral college was set up to elect the President (more on that later)

16. Congress could tax IMPORTS, but not EXPORTS
Congress could tax IMPORTS, but not EXPORTS. This process is known as a tariff, or a tax on imported goods. Also, the Federal Government would control trading between states and other countries.

17. Congress agreed that the Slave Trade would be stopped in 1808.
Other issues solved at the Constitutional Convention: The Slave Trade
Congress agreed that the Slave Trade would be stopped in 1808.
However, the Founding Fathers said nothing about ending the institution of slavery.

18. THE CONSTITUTION Signed on Sept. 17, 1787 Needed to be Ratified
Federalists v. Anti-Federalists (Federalist Papers)
Ratified on April 30, 1787
Agreed to add the Bill of Rights
Where was the first capital?

20. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
- to keep our country stronger and more united; - to make sure everybody obeys the law and is treated fairly; - to ensure peace within our borders; - to defend ourselves from our enemies; - to ensure that people are generally happy and prosperous; - and to ensure freedom for ourselves and those after us.