1. United states government
Wednesday, August 30, 2017

2. Warm-Up
Which problem with the Articles of Confederation was most responsible for the failure of the Confederation government?
What is your assertion?
What is your rationale?

3. So how do we fix it?
(And should we fix it?)

4. The Philadelphia Convention

5. The Philadelphia Convention
Who: Delegates from All States
What: Constitutional Convention
When: May 25, 1787 – September 17, 1787
Where: Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA
Why: to create a strong national government in order to best serve the needs of the newly formed United States

6. The Virginia Plan Primary Author: James Madison
Bicameral - 2 houses of legislature
Representation in both houses determined by state population
National legislature would have a veto over state laws

7. The New Jersey Plan Introduced by William Patterson of New Jersey
Unicameral – 1 house of legislature
Equal Representation for each state

8. The Controversy Over Slavery
Delegates from the Southern states were very concerned that the Northern states would use the power of a stronger national government to limit and eventually abolish slavery
They therefore insisted on protections for their institution as a condition of continuing to participate in the Convention
One of the most contentions questions was:
Should slaves be counted in the population of the Southern states, when the number of representatives in Congress was being determined for each state?

9. Can You Compromise?

10. The Great Compromise
Proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut (Connecticut Plan)
Combined Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan
Bicameral - 2 houses of legislature
House of Representatives to be determined by state population
Directly elected by the voters in each state
Senate Representation was equal per state, with each state having two senators
Selected/appointed by state legislatures

11. The Three-Fifths Compromise
Question:
How do the slaves count in the state population to figure out representation?
Resolution:
Each slave would count as 3/5 of a person or only 3/5 of slave population would be counted

12. Other Protections for Slavery
[1) The Three-Fifths Compromise]
2) The Slave Trade Clause
3) The Fugitive Slave Clause

13. Discussion Question/Exit Ticket
If you had been a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention, would you have signed the final document?
Why or why not?
(Think about: How “democratic” was the original Constitution, based on what you have learned about it so far?)

14. Homework Answer the REVIEW QUESTIONS on the class website.
*Friday: Mastery Check #1