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The Constitutional

Convention

Harcourt Social Studies

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Reason for Change

During 1780s , many Americans had borrowed money and go in debt

to pay their taxes. State courts took away their farms or sent the people

to prison.

In the summer of 1786, poor farmers in Massachusetts refused to

pay the taxes and decided to protest by refusing to let the courts meet.

The people also went into the courthouse and destroyed debt records.

In January 1787, a group of farmers led by Daniel Shays tried to take

over a Massachusetts arsenal or weapons storehouse.

The governor had to send soldiers to stop Shays, because there was

no national army. This act was called Shays' Rebellion

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Ideas for Change

▪ Every state had a governor,

but not a national leader

▪ There were no national court

system

▪ To pass any law 9 states

had to agree

James Madison of Virginia,

and other leaders, argued that

the country needed a stronger

government. (They needed a

president to guide them)This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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▪ Patrick Henry, of Virginia

wanted to keep the Articles

(paragraph of a legal

document or agreement)

as they were.

▪ He said, “We have fought

the British because they

did not want a powerful

government ruling their

lives”.

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z The Work Begins

▪ In May 1787, the 55

delegates (people

that represent the

states) from 12

states gathered at

the Pennsylvania

State House.

▪ In May 1787,George

Washington had

been selected to be

the president of the

Constitutional

Convention

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BY-SA-NC

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Creating the Constitution

▪ When the delegates met, they

decided to keep what they were

taking about a secret. That way

they can speak freely and make

good decisions. So, the windows

in the State House were covered,

and guards stood at the doors.

▪ Edmund Randolph of Virginia,

proposed to do away with the

articles of Confederation and write

a new plan of government.

Delegates agreed

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What delegates agreed on……..

▪ They agreed on a

Federal System, this

means that the states

would keep some power,

but the federal government

would have power over

matters that effected the

nation (state, people or

country) as a whole.

▪ “When it was finished, the

Constitution became the

supreme law. It help found

the American republic. In

a Republic, the people

choose representatives to

run the government.”This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

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A Major DebateHow the states would be represented in in the new Congress

The Virginia Plan

Congress would have two parts,

or houses. The number of

representative that a state would

have in both houses of Congress

would be based on that state’s

population.

States with more people would

have more votes in Congress.

(This was in favor of the bigger

states Virginia, Massachusetts,

and Pennsylvania)

The New Jersey Plan

“Not Fair!”

Under this plan, the Congress

would have one house, in which

each state would be equally

represented

With this plan it would give each

state the same number of

representatives as the large

state.

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The Great Compromise

▪ A committee of delegates, led by Roger Sherman of Connecticut and

other delegates come up with another plan.

▪ The Connecticut Compromise was based on population of each

state. In the other house, each state would be equally represented.

▪ Each house could present a bill, or an idea for a new law. However,

both houses had to approve a bill, or idea before it became law.

▪ Only the house in which representation was based on population

would be able to propose tax bills.

▪ It was approved on July 16, 1787-(Not all delegates agreed but

most wanted it).

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Compromises on Slavery

▪ This plan raised an important issue that troubled

many people in the nation-slavery.

▪ They did not know if the enslaved Africans

Americans should be counted when figuring each

state's population.

▪ Since the southern state had a larger numbers of

enslaved people, they wanted them to be counted

that way , they can have more representatives.

▪ Delegates from the north did not want the ensalved

to be counted. Their reasoning was, "they are not

allowed to vote and did not hold any other rights of

citizenship". Why count them?

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The Three-Fifths Compromise

▪ They finally agreed to count

three-fifth of the total number of

slaves in each state towards

the number of representatives.

▪ The biggest issue remain

"SLAVERY".

▪ Some delagates were afraid

that if they outlawed slavery or

stopped states from importing

or bringing slaves, the southern

states would not approve it.

▪ After 1808, congress

banded the slave trade with

other countries. However,

enslaved people could still be

bought and sold within the

United States.

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Gouverneur Morris

Gouverneur Morris always

expressed his ideas in writing. During

the American Revolution Morris served

in the Continental Congress. In 1780

Morris hurt his leg and it had to be

removed. He had to wear a wooden

leg for the rest of his life. However this

did not stop him from traveling and

working for his country.

He was against slavery, and he

argued that the Constitution should

outlaw it.

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Work

▪ Guess what guys,

▪ You are done, all you had to do was read. Have a nice day