Chapter 5

The Constitutional Convention

Section 1

New Political Ideas• Established a republic – form of

government where the power resides with the people(voting rights)

• Many states attached a bill of rights to their constitutions (ex: Virginia had Declaration of Rights)

• Voting rights expanded in several areas – still no women

• Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom declares no official church for that state

Revolution Changes Society• Greater liberty applied only to white

males• Slavery was in tact -Virginia was the

only Southern state that took steps to end slavery (Manumission – voluntary freeing of enslaved persons)

• Loyalists throughout the war faced difficult times – were shunned & property taken

• Feelings of nationalism spread

Articles of Confederation• Would create a weak central gov’t, strong state

gov’t• 1 house legislature (Confederation Congress),

each state 1 vote• Given powers that the states could not fulfill

(declaring war, creating a postal service, etc) • Could only change with an unanimous vote by

states• Avoided big government, but allowed states to

work together• Took 4 years for ratification - approval

Problems with Debt• Borrowed $60 million during war – country in

recession (economic slowdown)• Lack of money led to massive printing!• Paper money had to be backed up by gold/silver

– But it is not• Inflation set in decline in the value of money• Continental currency was not being accepted• Congress wanted to start taxing imports to raise

money

Shay’s Rebellion• Daniel Shays (farmer in Mass.)• If borrowed money could not be

paid back (farm seized and sold, sent to debtors prison)

• Aug/Sept 1786 Shays & other farmers marched to courthouses; refused to let them imprison any more

• Marched on to state arsenal where they were met by a militia and soon scattered.

Sections 2 & 3: A New Constitution

Constitutional Convention• Problems with the Articles needed to be

addressed• Washington, Madison, Hamilton & Franklin all

attended convention• All delegates were 40s, white, male, wealthy,

educated, had drafted constitutions before• Sworn to secrecy• Decided to dump the Articles• May to Sept. of 1787

Virginia and New Jersey Plans• Virginia Plan – Devised by James Madison• Proposed to get rid of the Articles and establish a

three-branch national gov’t• Also proposed to divide the legislature into two

houses – each state would elect members of the first house. The 2nd house would be elected by the 1st house.

• Plan favored large states (# reps = Pop.)• New Jersey Plan - create an one house legislature

with equal representation

Connecticut Compromise

• Senate (each state has 2 reps.), House of Representatives (1 seat per 40,000 of population)

• Slaves counted as 3/5ths of a person - Congress could not abolish slavery

• 9 of 13 states needed to pass • Signed by all but 3 on Sept. 17,

1787

Framework of the Constitution• Based on popular

sovereignty – rule by people

• Also created federalism – division of power between federal/state governments

• Separation of powers (Exec/Jud/Leg)

• Checks/Balances• Amendments – changes to

the Constitution

Federalists and Anti-Federalists• Anti-federalists – opponents

of the Constitution• Believed it should include a

Bill of Rights• Thought constitution

endangered the independence of the states

• Federalists – favored the proposed constitution

Ratification• State ratifying took place in

1787 & 1788 – Five states quickly ratified it

• Mass., Virginia, N.Y. held out until a Bill of Rights was promised

• By July 1788 all states but Rhode Island and North Carolina had ratified the Constitution

• 1790 all states ratified Constitution