The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention began its work on May 25, 1787 with all states except Rhode Island sending delegates.

I. The Convention Begins

The Convention Begins

• Many great leaders, politicians, and minds were in attendance at the Convention: Sam Adams, John Hancock, Ben Franklin, James Madison (who is often called the Father of the Constitution).

The Convention Begins

• George Washington was unanimously chosen to preside over the meetings. • Each state would have one vote on all questions. • A simple majority would make decisions.

The Convention Begins

• The delegates decided to keep the public and press from attending the meetings.

• This was a key decision because it made it possible for the delegates to talk freely.

The Convention Begins

Key Agreements: • Instead of revising the Articles, they decided to scrap them and start from scratch.

• The idea of a limited government and a representative democracy.

• The powers should be divided among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

• They should strengthen the national government.

II. Key Decisions and Compromises

A. The Question of Representation

The Virginia Plan

The plan proposed: • 1. A bicameral legislature, where a lower house is elected by the people and an upper house is chosen by the lower.

• 2. A strong executive chosen by the legislature.

• 3. A national judiciary chosen by the legislature.

The Virginia Plan

• With a number of modifications the Virginia Plan became the basis of the new Constitution.

• Delegates debated the plan for two weeks.

• The smaller states soon realized the larger, more populous states would be in control of a strong national government.

The New Jersey Plan

The plan proposed: • A unicameral legislature with one vote for each state. Strengthen by being able to impose taxes and regulate trade.

• A weak executive consisting of more than one person and elected by Congress.

• A national judiciary with limited power and appointed by the executive.

The New Jersey Plan

• Soon the Convention was deadlocked over the question of the representation of states in Congress.

• Should the states be represented on the basis of population?

• OR • Should they be represented equally, regardless of population?

The Connecticut Compromise

The compromise suggested that the legislative branch have two parts: • 1. A House of Representatives, with representation based on population.

• 2. A Senate, with two members from each state.

B. The Three-Fifths Compromise

• One-third of the people in the South were enslaved.

• The Southern states wanted slaves counted for representation but not taxes. The Northern states took the opposite position.

• The compromise said three fifths of slaves would be counted for taxes and representation.

C. The Slavery Question

• At the time, many of the Northern states (Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania) were outlawing slavery.

• However, the delegates knew the Southern states would never accept a Constitution if it interfered with slavery.

• The founders refused to deal with slavery leaving it to future generations to resolve.

D. Other Compromises

• The present Electoral College system, in which each state selects electors to choose the president.

• The president’s four-year term.

By September 17, the document was ready.

• The aging Ben Franklin had to be helped to the table to sign.

• He remarked that during the long debates he had often looked at the sun painted on the back of George Washington’s chair and wondered whether it was rising or setting.

“But now at length I have the happiness to know,” he said, “it is a rising and not a setting sun”