1. Writing the Constitution
A document based on compromise, in a time of turmoil and risks…

2. Constitutional Convention
When: May 25, 1787
Who: 55 delegates from 12 states (Rhode Island did not participate)
Why: The Articles did not work
What: Revise the Articles of Confederation
Decision: Abandon the Article of Confederation and write a new document

3. Met for four months – in secret….
Results
Met for four months – in secret….
Created a document that has governed the United States for over 200 years
James Madison is known as the “Father of the Constitution”
Originally met to change the Articles of Confederation but then decided to write a new document: the Constitution

4. Professionals and businesspeople Young-more than half were under 40
Who were the Delegates?
White men
Professionals and businesspeople
Young-more than half were under 40
½ college graduates
More than ½ members of Congress under the Articles of Confederation

5. How did they run the convention?
Each “state” would have 1 vote
Decisions were by a “Simple Majority”.
(51%= pass)
Work of the convention should be kept secret
No written records of the convention
James Madison kept a “Diary” a notebook

6. How to build a Legislative Branch…
“Virginia Plan”
Proposed by Edmund Randolph
President, bicameral legislature, (2 Houses) and a court system
Could veto any state law or act.
Could tax, regulate foreign and interstate commerce.
Representation in houses of congress determined by state’s population

7. “New Jersey Plan” Proposed by William Patterson
Similar to the Articles of Confederation
-representatives were equal for each state.
Different because it set up the Legislative body with the same powers to tax and regulate foreign and interstate commerce
3 Branches: Legislative, judicial and executive branches.

8. Connecticut Plan= great Compromise
The Legislative branch would be Bicameral (2 Houses.)
It would have a Senate based on equal representation and a House based on the State’s population.
This house is called the House of Representatives.
Together the Senate and the House of representative is known as “The Congress”
The Connecticut Plan is also known as theGreat Compromise
One House: the Senate-Equal Representation for each state
One House: House of Representatives-Based on state Population

9. Three-Fifths Compromise
Southern states wanted the slave population counted- for political power
Northern states opposed the idea
Compromise---delegates agreed that a slaves would count as 3/5th of a person (5 slaves counted as 3 people---used to determine State population and representation and taxes

10. Why did the Southern States want the 3/5ths Compromise?
Southern State’s populations were not as high as the Northern States.
The Southern States were primarily agricultural
Southern states feared they would not be represented in the House of representative and the Southern States interests would always be voted down.
The culture of the North and the South were fundamentally and economically very different.

11. Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
South agreed that Congress could regulate trade between states as well as with other countries. Trade tariffs (taxes… just like today)
North agreed that Congress could neither interfere with slave trade for 20 years nor tax exports…
also if slaves escaped- they had to be returned

12. Feared their workforce would be freed The Northern States
Why was this “compromise” important to the various sections of the country?
The Southern States
Feared their cotton and other exports would be taxed thereby reducing their profits.
Feared their workforce would be freed
The Northern States
The Northern States were mainly industrial (manufacturing, fishing)
Needed import taxes to keep them competitive with foreign goods

13. Electoral College – another layer of a representative government
Should the President be chosen by Congress or the people?
Decision: Each state legislature would choose electors equal to the number of Senators and Representatives from their State
The electors were the Electoral College and the elector College selects the President after the popular vote in November (December vote)

14. Ratification
9 of the 13 states were required to ratify the document (the Constitution) before it could become law
Anti-Federalists
Opposed the Constitution; felt the national (Federal) government had too much power and the document lacked certain rights.
The Bill of Rights,= ten changes that had to be written and added before the Constitution could be ratified

15. Ratification Federalists
Supported the constitution; argued that the nation needed a strong national (federal) government in order to survive.
Promised to add a Bill of Rights if adopted
John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison wrote essays in support of the Constitution called “The Federalists” or Federalist Papers – especially aimed at New York

20. STATES IN ORDER OF RATIFICATION
1. Delaware
December 7, 1787
2. Pennsylvania
December 12, 1787
3. New Jersey
December 18, 1787
4. Georgia
January 2, 1788
5. Connecticut
January 9, 1788
6. Massachusetts
February 6, 1788
7. Maryland
April 28, 1788
8. South Carolina
May 23, 1788
9. New Hampshire
June 21, 1788
10. Virginia
June 25, 1788
11. New York
12. North Carolina
July 26, 1788
November 21, 1789
13. Rhode Island
May 29, 1790

22. Just in time to go to war with Great Britain
RATIFICATION
June 21, 1788 New Hampshire became the 9th state to ratify the Constitution and it became law.
Delaware was “First”
Rhode Island was the “last” state to ratify (well after the Bill of Rights was added)
With Ratification- we were officially the new nation called: “The United States of America”
Just in time to go to war with Great Britain

23. Popular Sovereignty
All political power belongs to the People
People are the only source of political power
Government can only govern with the consent of the people
Limited Government…
Variation of the Social Contract
Separation of Powers
…powers are independent and divided, “Separated” between…

24. Checks and balances
…are tied together in a balanced system…..each branch can use to monitor the other
Judicial review
…determines the “Constitutionality” of governmental actions

25. Amending the Constitution Formally and Informally
The Constitutional Amendment Process
There are 4 Formal methods
2/3 Congress…3/4 Senate * Most popular method
Proposed by Congress then ask for ratification by 3/4 of the states
Proposed by National Convention then 2/3 of state legislations
Proposed by National Convention- then Ratification by ¾ of State Conventions

26. Legislation by Congress Presidential Action Supreme Court Decisions
Informal Methods
Informal Amendment
Legislation by Congress
Presidential Action
Supreme Court Decisions
Political Parties
Customs
**When Congress proposes an amendment it is not passing a law- it is “Amending the Constitution”.