Meet the Delegates!Meet the Delegates!

WITH THE NATIONS MANY PROBLEMSMANY PEOPLE BEGAN TO CRITICIZE

THE ARTICLES

WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS FEAREDANARCHY & REVOLUTION

THEY CALL FOR A STRONG FEDERALGOVERNMENT!

A MEETING CALLED IN PHILADELPHIATO FIX THE ARTICLES IN 1787

Problems1. National Security2. Stabilize the Economy3. Pay war debt4. Define authority of Federal gov’t

GEORGE WASHINGTON

(CHAIRMEN)

BEN FRANKLIN

JAMES MADISON “FATHER OF THE

CONSTITUTION”

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

THOMAS JEFFERSON, JOHN ADAMS,THOMAS PAINE, JOHN HACOCK

& PATRICK HENRY DID NOT ATTEND

What influenced theWhat influenced theFounding Fathers &Founding Fathers &

Enlightenment ideas!Enlightenment ideas!

ALL 13 STATES HAD A CONSTITUTION – USED AS A MODEL FOR FEDERAL GOV’T

POWER OF GOV’T SEPERATED BETWEEN EQUAL BRANCHES

(LEGISLATURE, EXECUTIVE, JUDICIAL)

BILL OF RIGHTS FOR CITIZENS

ENGLISH COMMON LAW & THE MAGNA CARTA: LIMITS POWER OF KING

JOHN LOCKE “LIFE, LIBERTY, & PROPERTY”

MONTESQUIEU: SEPERATION OF POWERS

ANCIENT GREEKS & ROMANS (DEMOCRACY & REPUBLIC)

OTHERS

Debates & Debates & CompromiseCompromise

VIRGINIA PLAN (BIG STATE):REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS

BASED ON POPULATION

MORE PEOPLE = MORE REPS =MORE POWER!

MADISON’S (E. RANDOLPH & G. MORRIS) PLAN

NEW JERSEY PLAN (SMALL STATE):REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS

BASED ON ALL STATES BEING EQUAL

EACH STATE GETS THE SAME NUMBER OF VOTES –

EQUAL POWER (W. Paterson)

PLANS COMBINED - BICAMERAL (TWO PART) CONGRESS CREATED

CONGRESS:

HOUSE OF REPS – REP BASED ON POPULATION

SENATE – REP BASED ON ALL EQUAL

SHOULD SLAVES BE COUNTED AS POPULATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPS?

1. SLAVES WOULD BE COUNTED AS 3/5 OF A PERSON.

2. SLAVE TRADE FROM AFRICA MUST END BY 1807

SOUTH “YES” – NORTH – “NO”

SOUTH WANTED A 2/3RD VOTE IN CONGRESS FOR REGULATING

TRADE

NORTH WANTED AN “EXPORT” TAX

BOTH SIDES DROPPED DEMANDS & LET FEDERAL GOV’T REGULATE

COMMERCE

9 STATES HAD TO “RATIFY” THE CONSTITUTION BEFORE IT BECAME

THE LAW OF THE LAND

THIS STARTS A NATIONAL DEBATE“SHOULD THE NEW CONSTITUTION

BE ACCEPTED OR REJECTED”?

FEDERALISTS: SUPPORTED THE CONSTITUTION

FEDERALISTPAPERS

(ESSAYS)

HAMILTON, MADISON,

& JAY

ANTI-FEDERALISTS: DID NOT SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION

NO BILL OF RIGHTS –FED GOV’T TOO POWERFUL!

P. HENRYOTHERS

BILL OF RIGHTS (RIGHTS FOR CITIZENS) WAS PROMISED

& ADDED IN 1791

MOST STATES RATIFY & CONSTITUTION BECOMES LAW!

“I have often in the course of this session looked at that without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting; but now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun.”

- Ben Franklin