Popular Tyranny and Shays’ Rebellion

• Popular tyranny:– Unrestrained

• Shays’ Rebellion– As land foreclosures soared, angry protests erupted

in rural areas of Mass.– Organized protestors occupied courthouses

– Protestors were Revolutionary War

– Daniel Shays raids

• The attack embarrassed leaders of the US

• Rebellion showed a failure in the idea of

• Leaders had to find a way to contain and limit the will of the people in a

Significance of Shays’ Rebellion

• Authorized to

• Delegates were to determine what changes

• Most delegates had no interest

Philadelphia Convention

An Assembly of Demigods The delegates that attended were some of the

most educated,

Many had been politically active in Revolutionary politics and were

• The assembly was held in secrecy

• Delegates from at least 7 states had to be present to do business

• If a delegate’s absence would leave a state w/o representation, then he had to get permission to be absent

• When rising to speak, a delegate had to address the president. While he was speaking, other members could not pass notes, hold conversations with one another, etc.

• Committees could be appointed as necessary• The convention’s proceedings were to remain secret.

No delegate could disclose the substance of the debates, although they were allowed to take notes

Rules for the Convention

The Virginia Plan

• Proposed a STRONG

• National Government would have the power to:

• Citizens would be governed under the authority of 2 governments:

More ideas from the Virginia Plan

• National government would have 3 branches: legislative, executive and judicial with the legislative branch most powerful

• The number of representatives from each state in both the House and the Senate would be based on the size of its population or contribution to the federal treasury

• Congress would have power to make all laws that

• Congress would have power to strike down state laws that it considered to be in

• Congress would have power to call forth the armed forces against states if need be

More ideas from the Virginia Plan