1. Steps to US Constitution
1781: Articles of Confederation take effect
1787: Constitutional Convention to “fix” weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation
1789: New Congress Convenes under the current Constitution
1791: Bill of Rights added to Constitution

2. Important Terms Ratify—to approve
Framers—delegates present at the writing of the Constitution
Bill of Rights—list of basic rights of the people
Federalists—approved the ratification of the Constitution
Anti-federalists—did not approve of the ratification of the Constitution.

3. Compromises at the Convention
Compromises allow for the varied needs of States

4. The Great Compromise
Virginia v. New Jersey

5. Side: Virginia Plan (Large States)
Goals:
3 branches (leg, exec, judicial)
Congress-bicameral
Representation based on population

6. Side: Virginia Plan (Large States)
Reasons:
Wanted a truly NATIONAL government w/ greatly expanded powers and the power to enforce its decisions
Gave more power to the large states that were expected to dominate the new government

7. Side: New Jersey Plan (Small States)
Goals:
Unicameral Congress
Equal representation of states
Congress given limited powers to tax and regulate trade between states

8. Side: New Jersey Plan (Small States)
Reasons:
Make small states equally important as large states
Feared protecting their interests

9. Results of the Great Compromise
Also called Connecticut Compromise
3 branches of government (legislative, executive, judicial)
Bicameral legislature (Congress)
House of Representatives—representation based on population—benefited large states
Senate—Equal representation (two per state) -benefited small states

10. Three-Fifths Compromise
Representation and Taxes
Should slaves be counted when determining the population of a state?

11. Side: Southern States Goals:
Count slaves in the population in order to boost their numbers
(reminder: slaves had no rights at this time!)
Reasons:
Increase their population for the sake of the House of Representatives (more people meant more votes)

12. Side: Northern States Goals: Do not count slaves in population
Reasons:
Did not want South to have more representation in Congress

13. Results
3/5 Compromise said that all free people counted in the population
Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person (every 3 out of 5 slaves were counted)

14. Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Tariffs
and Servitude

15. Side: Southern States Goals: Protect the agricultural South
Protect Slave Trade
Reasons:
Afraid Congress would try to regulate the slave trade and pay for the new government with export duties (from Southern tobacco)

16. Side: Northerners Goals: Protect Northern Commercial Interests
Reasons:
Afraid new taxes would burden businesses

17. Results of the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Congress was forbidden the power to tax the export of goods from any state
Congress also forbidden the power to act on the slave trade for at least 20 years

18. Bundle of Compromises
Constitution was drafted at Philadelphia and is called the bundle of compromises because they settle the differences of opinions of delegates from 12 different states

19. Ratification of the Constitution

20. Federalists
Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution.
They wanted a strong national government

21. Anti-federalists Opposed the ratification of the Constitution
They disliked the increased power given to the national government.
They also disliked the lack of a bill of rights.

22. Ratification process
The constitution called for 9 of the 13 states to ratify.
While 9 of 13 did originally ratify, New York and Virginia did not—states with the largest populations.
Because of the this the Constitution did not actually go into effect until NY and VA ratified.