4. THREE COMPROMISES

Issue 1: How Should States be Represented in the New Government?

1. constitution: a written plan that provides the basic framework of a gov’t

2. Where should the government’s power to rule come from?

• Articles of Confederation: From the states

• James Madison: From the people

Virginia Plan New Jersey PlanHow many branches of government? 3 3

How was the legislature organized?

Congress =2 Houses: House of

Representatives (reps based on population) & the Senate (states

have equal # of reps)

Congress would have one house

(states would have equal # of

reps)

Which states did this plan favor? Why?

Favored states with larger populations; these states would

have more representatives

Favored states with smaller populations,

because all states would be

represented equally

Issue 1 Resolution: The Great Compromise

• Created by Roger Sherman

• The new gov’t would have 2 houses of Congress

• House of Representatives: representation based on population (represents the people)

• Senate: representation would be equal (2 senators per state - represents the states)

https://youtu.be/3YtfPCMF47U

Issue 2: How Should the Slaves be Counted?

• South: wants to increase representation & power in Congress, so they wanted slaves counted as any other people.

How should slaves be counted for representation in Congress?

**Why?

• North: said that since slaves were considered property & could not vote, that slaves should not be counted as part of the population.

Numbers show actual and

estimated enslaved population by

colony. Colors show

enslaved population as a percentage of each colony's total

population.

Attitudes about Slavery

• South: Economy was dependent on slavery

• North: After the D of I, many began to think of slavery as wrong; anti-slavery laws passed

Issue 2 Resolution: Three-Fifths Compromise

• For purposes of deciding representation in the House of Reps, each slave would count as 3/5 of a person

• Even though this conflicted w/ the D of I, it was accepted to keep the Convention moving forward

What compromise did the delegates reach on the slave trade?

• The new government would allow the transatlantic slave trade to continue until 1808

Issue 3: How should the Chief Executive Be Elected?

• Arguments for One Executive: Strong, clear leadership; decisions could be made quickly

• Arguments for Three Executives: Different parts of the country could be represented; fear that one executive could become too powerful (like a king)

Three proposals made for choosing the chief executive:

1. President should be appointed by Congress (But would the President be “controlled” by Congress?)

2. The people should elect the president (But would candidates from more populous areas always win?)

3. A specially chosen group of electors should elect the president (This could provide more balance of interests from all parts of the country)

Issue 3 Resolution: The Electoral College

1. Each state’s Electors = # of Senators + # of Representatives in Congress

2. Originally, each elector voted for 2 candidates. The candidate with the most votes was president, and runner-up was vice president.

3. Today, a presidential candidate who wins the popular vote in a state gets all of that state’s electoral votes.