Transcript The Constitutional Convention Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May, 1787 Pennsylvania State House Who Was There?   Seventy-four delegates from twelve states were elected. Fifty-five delegates attended at one time or another.

The Constitutional
Convention
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May, 1787
Pennsylvania State House
Who Was There?


Seventy-four
delegates from twelve
states were elected.
Fifty-five delegates
attended at one time
or another.
Who Were “The Framers?”




Most of the fifty-five delegates
knew and respected each other.
Three had been at the Stamp
Act Congress, 1765.
Eight had signed the
Declaration of Independence.
Forty-two had served in the 1st
Continental Congress, the 2nd
Continental Congress, or the
Confederation Congress.
George Washington





Thirty fought in the
Revolutionary War.
Two would be U.S. presidents;
one would be a vice president.
Seven had been governors;
nine would be governors.
Eight were judges; two
would be Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court.
Twenty-nine were college
graduates; two were college
presidents.
James Madison






Thirty-four had practiced
law.
Twenty helped write their
state’s constitution.
Eighteen had worked or
studied abroad.
Many were fluent in Latin,
French, and other languages.
Most were prosperous
lawyers, businessmen, and
plantation owners.
Their average age was 42.
Benjamin Franklin
Why Were They There?
. . . for the sole and
express purpose of
revising the Articles of
Confederation.
The Rules



Secrecy
Courtesy
Flexibility
The Divisive Issues




Should the national
government be stronger?
How should states be
represented in Congress?
Who should select the
legislators?
Should slaves count toward
a state’s population for
purposes of representation?





Should there be one or more
than one chief executives?
Who should select the chief
executive or executives?
Should there be a national
court system?
Should the general public be
trusted with the ability to
vote?
Should the national
government outlaw slavery
in the United States?
Should The National
Government Be Stronger?




A stronger national
government is necessary.
It should be limited by the
Constitution.
A republican form of
government is best.
Three branches are
necessary: a legislature
to make laws, an executive
branch to enforce laws,
and a judiciary to interpret
laws.
How Should States Be
Represented In Congress?
Virginia (Large State) Plan:
A New Form of Government

Legislative Branch



Executive Branch





Multiple national executive selected by Congress
Some veto power
Judicial Branch

Edmund Randolph
A bicameral (two-house) legislature
Membership in both houses decided on the basis
of population (free people living in the state)
Judges selected by Congress
Some ability to override law
National Government can veto state
legislation
New Jersey (Small State) Plan:
Strengthen Articles of Confederation

Legislative Branch




Executive Branch





A single national executive selected by
Congress
Some veto power
Judicial Branch

William Patterson
A unicameral (one-house) legislature
Membership: one vote per state
More power than Articles of Confederation
Judges selected by executives
Some ability to override law
National Government can veto
state legislation
Hamilton’s Plan

Proposed a government
based on the British
monarchy and
parliament
All powerful national
government
 Senators with life terms
 President with life term
 Judges with life term

Alexander Hamilton
The Great Compromise

Legislative Branch




Executive Branch


Determined by a committee
Judicial Branch


A bicameral legislature
A House of Representatives based
on population elected by the people
A Senate based on equality elected
by state legislatures
Determined by a committee
National Government can veto
state legislation
Roger Sherman
Should the National
Government Outlaw Slavery in
the United States?



Slavery was a very
divisive issue. Southern
states would never
support a position
against slavery.
Should the new
Constitution outlaw the
practice of slavery in the
U.S.? No.
But what about the slave
trade?
Slave Trade Compromise

What should be done
with the trans-Atlantic
slave trade?
South said keep it.
 North said get rid of it.


Compromise: Slave
trade could be banned
by Congress, but not
for twenty years.
Should Slaves Count Toward
a State’s Population for
Purposes of Representation?
State
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Virginia
Population
237,946
59,096
82,548
319,728
378,787
141,885
184,139
340,120
393,751
434,373
68,825
249,073
691,737
Slaves
2,764
8,887
29,264
103,036
0
158
11,423
21,324
100,572
3,737
948
107
292,627
% of Pop.
1.16%
15.04%
35.45%
32.23%
0.00%
0.11%
6.20%
6.27%
25.54%
0.86%
1.38%
0.04%
42.30%
Three-Fifths Compromise

How should slaves count for
purposes of representation?
South said fully.
 North said not at all, but
should be counted for
taxation.


Compromise: “Other
persons” would count as 3/5
of a person for purposes of
representation and taxation.
Other Compromises
Q: Should there be one or more than one chief executives?
A: A single executive – the president.
Q: How should the members of Congress be selected? By
the people? By the state legislature?
A: Compromise: Members of the House of Representatives
should be elected by the people. Members of the Senate
should be elected by the state legislature.
Q: How should the president be selected? By the people?
By the state legislature?
A: Compromise: The Electoral College will select the
president. The people will select the electors.
Additional Questions
Q: Should Congress control interstate commerce?
A: Yes
Q: Should there be a religious test or requirements
for holding public office?
A: No
Q: Who should have the power to declare war?
A: Congress
Q: Should there be a standing army in times of
peace?
A: No
Writing the Constitution




July - Committee of Detail
August – Debate again over the document
September – Committee of Style
Who wrote it? Never really established,
but Governeur Morris took credit.
Signing the Constitution


Thirty-nine
signatures.
Three did not sign:
 Randolph
 Gerry
 Mason

On the final day, as the last delegates were
signing the document, Franklin pointed toward
the sun on the back of the Convention
president's chair. Observing that painters had
found it difficult to distinguish in their art a
rising sun from a setting sun, he went on to
say: I have often ... in the course of the session
... looked at that sun behind the President
without being able to tell whether it was rising
or setting. But now at length I have the
happiness to know it is a rising and not a
setting sun.
Benjamin Franklin: “…I have the happiness to know it is a
rising and not a setting sun.”
Ratification


The Constitution was
sent to the states for
ratification. Nine out
of thirteen states had
to ratify it for it to
become law.
The biggest problem?
It did not include a
bill of rights.


The first five states
ratified quickly:
Delaware,
Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Georgia,
Connecticut.
However, a few
challenges remained:
Massachusetts, New
York, Virginia

During
ratification
two groups
emerged.
Federalists





Mostly from New England
and Middle Atlantic
Businessmen, merchants
Well organized
Led by Hamilton, Madison,
and Jay
Wrote the Federalist Papers,
which were eighty-five
essays that were published
to support the Constitution
Anti-Federalists





Mostly from South and
backcountry areas
Small farmers
Not very well organized
Included Henry,
Mason, and Gerry
Wrote the articles that
have been called the
Anti-Federalist Papers


Eventually, what
convinced
Massachusetts,
New York, and
Virginia to ratify
the Constitution?
The Promise of a
Bill of Rights.