The Constitutional Convention

Northwest Ordinance, 1787

• Laws passed by the Confederation Congress

• Allowed slavery in the area south of the Ohio River

• Prohibited slavery north of the river

Annapolis Convention, 1786

• 5 states sent representatives• Adopted a report urging all

states to send delegates to Philadelphia to amend the Articles of Confederation

Constitutional Convention

• 55 delegates met in Philadelphia beginning in May, 1787

• All meetings that summer were held in secrecy

• Purpose was to revise the Articles of Confederation

Key People at the Constitutional Convention

George Washington

• Chairman of the Convention• Seldom participated, but• Lent his enormous prestige to the

proceedings

James Madison

• “Father of the Constitution”• A Virginian and brilliant

political philosopher• Keep the only notes of the

proceedings

• Authored the “Virginia Plan” which proposed a federal government of three separate branches

• Later authored the US Bill of Rights

Issue of Representation in the new government

• Two plans were introduced• They demonstrated the basic

conflict between large and small states

Virginia Plan

• Virginia was a “large” state• Base representation on

population• Larger states would get more

representatives

(Virginia Plan)

• A bicameral (2-house) legislature, both based on population

• Legislature would choose the executive and judiciary

• Legislature would have the power to veto state legislation

New Jersey Plan

• Introduced by William Paterson and represented the small state view

• Each state should get an equal number of representatives

(New Jersey Plan)

• A unicameral legislature• Increase the power of Congress to

levy import duties and regulate trade

• Each state would have one vote

The Great Compromise

• Bicameral legislature• Membership in the lower house

(House of Representatives) should be based on population

• Upper house (Senate) based on equal representation

Three-fifth’s Compromise

• The problem was: should slaves be counted as population in determining representation

• Northerners were opposed• Southerners supported it• Agreed to count 3/5 of the slaves in

determining representation

Slave Trade Compromise

• Congress would not be allowed to pass any trade regulations pertaining to slave trade for 20 years.