Transcript 2 The Constitutional Convention

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Learning Target & GPS
–What compromises were needed in
order to create the U.S. Constitution?
–SSUSH5B,C,D
The Articles of Confederation were intentionally
weak in order to protect state & individual liberties
But, the
inability of
the national
gov’t to tax
& unify the
states led to
problems
like Shays’
Rebellion
Confederation
Government in
New York City
In May 1787, 55 delegates held a
Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia to
discuss ways to strengthen the national gov’t…
…But instead of revising the Articles of
Confederation, they replaced it with the Constitution
The Constitution was a
The supremacy clause
radical shift from the AOC
establishes the
because it gave more
Constitution (not the
power to the national gov’t
states) as the "the
than to the state gov’ts
supreme law of the land"
The national government under the
Constitution would have new features & powers
that the Articles of Confederation did not have
Rather than a single unicameral Congress, the
new national government would be divided
among three equal branches of government
Like the AOC,
the gov’t had
a Congress
(legislative branch)
to make laws
Unlike the AOC, the new
gov’t had a president
(executive branch) to lead
the nation and enforce laws
passed by Congress
Unlike the AOC,
Congress had the
power to tax &
coin money
Unlike the AOC, the new gov’t
had a court system (judicial
branch) to interpret laws and
prosecute federal crimes
Delegates at the Constitutional
Convention agreed on some
major philosophical ideas for
the new national government
Popular Sovereignty: the people
have power by voting for leaders
Limited gov’t: even though the
national government was stronger,
citizens’ liberty was still protected
Federalism: the national gov’t
shares power with state gov’ts
Separation of powers: Checks & balances: each branch
three branches with can limit the power of the others
defined powers
The delegates at the convention
had to negotiate a series of
compromises in order to agree
on a framework for government
Many of these compromises dealt with
how representatives would be chosen
from the states to serve in Congress
Critical Thinking
Question A:
Large States vs.
Small States
The large states supported
The small states
the Virginia Plan which
supported the a
proposed adding a
New Jersey Plan which
president to lead the
called for a unicameral
nation and a bicameral
congress in which states
congress in which larger
are
equally
represented
states have more
just
like
the
AOC
representatives
The Great Compromise resolved
the differences between the
large & small states by creating
a bicameral Congress
In the Senate
each state has
2 reps who
serve 6-year
terms
In the House of
Representatives, the
number of reps is
determined by each
state’s population
Critical Thinking Question B:
Southern Slave States vs. Northern Free States
Northern & Southern states could not agree whether
or not to count slaves towards population size
If slaves are counted,
Southern states would
have more votes and
power in the House of
Representatives
The Three-Fifths
Compromise allowed
states to count three
of every five slaves
toward taxation and
population size
Critical Thinking Question C:
To End Slavery or Not
Many Northerners wanted
to use the Constitutional
Convention to end slavery,
but Southerners threatened
to leave the USA anytime
slavery was discussed
As a compromise for the
South, the slave trade could
continue for 20 more years
& runaway slaves would be
returned to slave masters
James Madison
negotiated and
wrote much of
the framework
of the new
government and
is referred to as
the “father of
the Constitution”
Preamble Extra Credit
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=30OyU4O80i4
 Memorize the preamble and
recite it by Tuesday February
11th.
Map Activity

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