The Constitutional Convention

The Convention The Convention

• A meeting in Philadelphia, US capital, with the purpose of– Amending/fixing the problems associated w/the

Articles of Confederation– Such as:– No Executive to enforce laws (Shay’s Rebellion)– No power to tax– No Judicial branch– No power of interstate trade– No law forbidding states from coining $$$

Where, When, Who

• Philadelphia- May-September 1787

• 55 delegates from 12 states

• Wealthy white males

• George Washington was president of the secret meetings

Too Many Problems

• The Delegates at the Convention decided there were too many problems with the Articles and decided to

• Create an entirely NEW CONSTITUTION– the Articles of Confederation was eliminated

Compromise (representation)• The LARGE and small

states fought over REPRESENTATION in Congress

• The more representatives = the more power a state would have in Congress– Power = money and

decision making

• The Great Compromise solved the representation debate

• A Bi-cameral legislature (2 houses) was created1. House of Representatives-based

on population

2. Senate-two for each state

• Connecticut Compromise

Compromises (Slavery)• Should African slaves

count toward a states total population? – gain more representatives

and more power in the new government

• Southern states = YES• Northern states = NO

• 3/5 Compromise• For every 5 slaves a

state had 3 counted for representation and taxation

• International slave trade would END in 1808

Compromises (commerce) • Under the Articles

trade was controlled by the STATES– Northern states wanted

national government to have this power

– Southern states feared a loss of $$ through new export taxes-cotton

• Control of interstate trade went to National government– Interstate commerce

clause– All trade between the

states would be controlled by the National government

– National government also would COIN money

– Import taxes (tariffs) – but no export taxes

• Commerce Compromise

Compromises (Election of President)

• Should the people elect the President

OR• Should the state

legislatures elect the President

• Decision:• The Electoral College• Indirectly elect the

president with a group of electors/delegates

• This was done because the leaders didn’t trust the people to make good decisions!

Problems and Compromises

• Debt from the revolution was another issue that needed to be dealt with

• Southern states had paid theirs

• Northern states still owed millions to other nations

• Southern states agreed to pay off the debt as a nation if

• The new nations capital was placed in the south

• This issue and compromise was known as Assumption

A New Plan of Government

• By September 1787 the meeting was done

• The delegates had created a brand new constitution

• The Constitution of The United States of America

• It now needed to be ratified/approved by

• 9 of 13 states

The Fight for RatificationFederalists vs. Anti-federalists

• Favored ratifying• Saw no need to

add/change the new plan

• Organized supporters to write essays telling why new plan should be ratified-

• The Federalist Papers• GEORGE

WASHINGTON FAVORED RATIFICATION

• Feared the new constitution would result in

• A loss of personal and state rights

• Demanded a Bill of Rights be added

• To guarantee civil liberties/rights

The Fight for RatificationFederalists vs. Anti-federalists

• Promised to add a Bill of Rights in return wanted

• Guarantee Constitution would be ratified

• Agreed to ratification with addition of

• Bill of Rights 10 total 1791

• This became the final compromise

• The Constitution is known as a

• Bundle of Compromises

Articles vs. Constitution

• No power to tax• No Executive• No Judicial Branch• No control over trade

between the states• States could coin $$$• State governments

most power

• National gov’t taxes• President to enforce

laws• Supreme Court to

interpret laws• Controls interstate

commerce/trade• Only the national gov’t

can coin $$$• NATIONAL

GOVERNMENT SUPREME TO STATES