1. 4-5: The Constitutional Convention, 1787-1789

2. Objectives
NAT 1.0 Explain how ideas about democracy, freedom, and individualism found expression in the development of cultural values, political institutions, and American identity.
POL 1.0 Explain how and why political ideas, beliefs, institutions, party systems, and alignments have developed and changed.
POL 3.0 Explain how different beliefs about the federal government’s role in U.S. social and economic life have affected political debates and policies.
WXT 2.0 Explain how patterns of exchange, markets, and private enterprise have developed, and analyze ways that governments have responded to economic issues.

3. Key Concept
The American Revolution’s democratic and republican ideals inspired new experiments with different forms of government.

4. The Constitution Philadelphia Convention Presided over by Washington
Result of series of compromises
Government acceptable to
large and small states
slave and free states
The Annapolis Convention consisted of 12 representatives from only 5 states. Its goal was to address barriers that limited trade and commerce between the states. Not enough states were represented to make any real progress. They sent a report to the Congress to call a meeting of all the states to meet in Philadelphia to examine areas broader than just trade and commerce.

5. Provisions of the Constitution
Republicanism
Consent of the governed
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Great Compromise
VA and NJ Plans
CT Compromise—bicameral
Stronger federal economic powers
Federalism
Guarantee of Slavery
Three-Fifths Compromise
Republicanism is the belief that government should be based on the consent of the people. Republicanism inspired the American revolutionaries of the 18th century.
Separation of powers organizes the national government into 3 branches. Checks and balances refers to a system in which each branch of government can check the power of other branches. For example, the president can veto a bill passed by Congress, but Congress can override the president’s veto.
National government powers include the authority for Congress to declare war, the creation of an Electoral College to safeguard the presidency from direct popular election, a provision of the impeachment of the president, a provision for the presidential State of the Union message, and a provision for ratifying the Constitution.
The American bicameral legislature includes the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Federalism refers to a government in which authority is divided between national, state, and local governments.
The three-fifths compromise allowed slaves to be counted as 3/5 of a person for the purposes of apportionment in the House of Representatives and taxation.
Noteworthy later additions to the Constitution included a two-term limit for presidents, universal manhood suffrage, a presidential cabinet, the direct election of senators, guarantees of freedom of speech and the press (Bill of Rights), the right to a speedy and public trial (Bill of Rights), as well as the idea of political parties (the Framers opposed political parties—they believed that political parties promoted selfish interests, caused divisions, and thus threatened the existence of republican governments).

6. Ratification Debate Anti-Federalists Federalists
Included Patrick Henry and George Mason
Feared that a strong central government would become tyrannical
Demanded a guarantee of individual rights
Federalists
Included Alexander Hamilton and James Madison
A large republic offered the best protection of minority rights
Bill of rights unnecessary
State protections existed
Federalist Papers—rationale behind Constitution
Separation of powers
checks and balances
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers to support ratification of the Constitution in Since several different groups and viewpoints would be included in the Congress, tyranny by the majority would be impossible. Federalists felt there was no need for a national bill of rights, as each state had one. They argued that by enumerating what Congress couldn’t do, it was implied that they inherently had the power to violate natural rights.
Anti-federalists drew support primarily from rural areas. They argued that the president would have too much power, the Congress would levy heavy taxes, the government would raise a standing army, the national government would overwhelm the states, and that individual rights would not be protected.
The Bill of Rights was a guarantee of individual liberties added to the Constitution in 1789 via the first 10 amendments to appease the Anti-Federalists. Much of its content was based on George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights and Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.

7. Ratification Bill of Rights First 10 amendments to Constitution
Guarantee of individual liberties
States’ rights (10th Amendment)