1. Creating the Constitution

2. The Constitutional Convention: Agreements and Compromises
May A Convention of 55 delegates met in Philadelphia, to amend the Articles of Confederation
Agreed on:
a limited and representative government with three branches
Limited power of the states to coin money
Strengthened the central government
The Constitutional Convention: Agreements and Compromises

3. Virginia Plan From the Virginia delegation:
2 legislatures with upper and lower chambers based on a states population
Strong executive chosen by legislature
National judiciary appointed by legislature
Favored the larger states
Virginia Plan

4. New Jersey Plan From the small states:
One house legislature, each state gets one vote
Still a confederacy but weak central government would impose taxes and regulate trade
Weak executive of multiple people elected by Congress
A judiciary appointed by executive
New Jersey Plan

5. Connecticut compromise (or great compromise)
Bicameral- 2 House Legislature
House of Representatives based on population (helped the large states)
Senate- 2 delegates each state (benefitted the small states)
Connecticut compromise (or great compromise)

6. Compromises about the presidency
Electoral College
Each state selects electors to choose the president
Four year terms
Compromises about the presidency

7. Many Northern delegates wanted to abolish slavery
However, they knew the Southern states would not ratify the Constitution if they did
Disputes over slavery

8. Three Fifths Compromise
South wanted slaves to count for representative purposes (would boost their population) – North wanted the opposite
However, the South didn’t want the slaves to count for tax purposes and the North did
Enslaved people were counted as 3/5 a person for both tax and representative purposes
Three Fifths Compromise

9. Commerce and the Slave Trade
Congress has power to regulate interstate and foreign trade
Congress could not ban the slave trade before 1808
Congress was prohibited from taxing exports
Commerce and the Slave Trade

10. Ratifying the Constitution
September 17, 1787 the Constitution was completed
9 out of the 13 states were needed to ratify
Delaware was the 1st on December 7, 1787
New Hampshire was the 9th in June 1788
Rhode Island was the last in May 1790
Ratifying the Constitution

11. The Federalist and Anti-Federalist
Federalist favored the Constitution led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams
Anti-Federalist opposed the Constitution led by Patrick Henry and George Mason
Didn’t like it was drafted in secret- some considered it illegal since they sent delegates to redo the Articles of Confederation
Lacked a bill of rights to protect the citizens from their own government
The Federalist and Anti-Federalist

12. Progress Towards Ratification
Many small states quickly signed it for the equal representation
Virginia and New York were key to getting it approved
Federalist papers helped win those states
Progress Towards Ratification

13. The New Government Begins its Work
Elected George Washington as the first President
Congress met on March and amended the Bill of Rights
The New Government Begins its Work

14. Political impacts of the enlightenment
A government’s power comes from the consent of the people
Freedom of speech and religious toleration
Direct Democracy
Separation of powers
The Constitution
“we the people…”
preamble, representative government
Three Branches of government
System of checks and balances
Public elections of President and Congress
1st amendment provides freedom of speech and religion ? ? ? ?
Political impacts of the enlightenment

15. Political impacts of the enlightenment
A government’s power comes from the consent of the people
Freedom of speech and religious toleration
Direct Democracy
Separation of powers
The Constitution
“we the people…”
preamble, representative government
Three Branches of government
System of checks and balances
Public elections of President and Congress
1st amendment provides freedom of speech and religion
Locke
Montesquieu
Rousseau
Voltaire
Political impacts of the enlightenment