1. The Constitutional Convention

2. Purpose of the Constitutional Convention
Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation
The goal was to revise the Articles of Confederation . It was quickly decided to replace it.

3. # of Congressmen determined by state population
Virginia Plan
Proposed by big states
Lawmaking body:
Bicameral (2 Houses)
Based on Population
Elected by the 1st house
Elected by the people
# of Congressmen determined by state population

4. The Virginia Plan
Calls for a strong national government that will be split up into three branches.
Legislative Branch
Passes the laws
Executive Branch
Carries out the laws
Judicial Branch
Decides of the laws were carried out fairly

5. The Legislature The Legislature would consist of two houses.
The seats in each house would be awarded based upon the population of the state. The larger the state, the more seats they would receive in the legislature.
Larger states would have more power to create and pass laws than smaller states would.

6. The New Jersey Plan
This plan would provide more support for small states.
Government would still be set up into three branches.
Legislative Branch
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch

7. Supported by smaller states
New Jersey Plan
Supported by smaller states
Lawmaking body:
Unicameral (1 House)
Each state would have the same number of Representatives or votes
Based on Equality

8. The Legislature There will only be one house in the legislature.
Each state, regardless of population would receive one vote in the legislature.
This would protect the smaller states and allow them to have just as much of a say as the large states.

9. The Great Compromise The convention was on the brink of falling apart.
Roger Sherman of Connecticut
Created a proposal that he believed would satisfy both the large and small states.
The Legislature would be split into two houses,
Upper House (Senate)
Lower House (House of Representatives)

10. The Great Compromise This was a combination of both plans…
Lawmaking body:
Bicameral Congress (2 Houses)
Senate
House of Representatives
Each state gets 2 representatives
# of reps. would depend on populations

11. The Lower House
The Lower House was known as the House of Representatives.
Representatives would be elected by popular vote.
Seats in this house would be awarded to each state according to its population.

12. The Upper House The Upper house was known as the Senate.
The representatives in the Senate would be chosen by the state legislatures.
Each state, no matter what its size, would receive two state senators.

13. Northern vs. Southern Conflict

14. The Three-Fifths Compromise
There were also conflicts between northern and southern states
How should slaves be counted into the population?
South: should be taken into account
North: since they cannot vote, they should not be.
They compromised 3/5 of the slave population would be included in the population count.

15. 3/5 Compromise
If a state had 5,000 slaves, only 3,000 of them would be counted into the population.
A slave was basically declared as 3/5 of a person.
This allowed for southern states to account for slaves, but not gain too much power in the lower house.

16. Slavery
Slavery became an issue with population. In the south, slavery made up 1/3 of the population
The south wanted them to count in their population so they would have more votes. Slaves however could not vote.

17. The Slave Trade
Northern states wanted to ban the trading of slaves throughout the country.
Southern states believe it would ruin their economy.
Compromise
Congress could not outlaw the slave trade for 20 years
No state could stop a fugitive slave from being returned to an owner who claimed that slave.

18. Amendments
Before any of the states would sign the Constitution, the delegates wanted a way to amend the Constitution in order for it to grow with the times and the country.
Bill of Rights
1st Amendment
2nd Amendment
3rd Amendment

19. Signing the Constitution
39 delegates signed
before leaving
Philadelphia. Each
state planned to have
its own convention to
vote on the adoption.
Nine states were needed to ratify.
December 7, 1787

20. Ratification Go USA!! June 21, 1788
New Hampshire, the 9th state signed the constitution putting into effect the new government.
There were still states that had not ratified. This threatened the outcome of the new Gov.
The four remaining states signed by May of 1790!
Go USA!!