the constitutional convention. the convention a meeting in philadelphia, us capital, with the...
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The Constitutional Convention
The Convention The Convention
• A meeting in Philadelphia, US capital, with the purpose of– Amending/fixing the problems associated w/the
Articles of Confederation– Such as:– No Executive to enforce laws (Shay’s Rebellion)– No power to tax– No Judicial branch– No power of interstate trade– No law forbidding states from coining $$$
Where, When, Who
• Philadelphia- May-September 1787
• 55 delegates from 12 states
• Wealthy white males
• George Washington was president of the secret meetings
Too Many Problems
• The Delegates at the Convention decided there were too many problems with the Articles and decided to
• Create an entirely NEW CONSTITUTION– the Articles of Confederation was eliminated
Compromise (representation)• The LARGE and small
states fought over REPRESENTATION in Congress
• The more representatives = the more power a state would have in Congress– Power = money and
decision making
• The Great Compromise solved the representation debate
• A Bi-cameral legislature (2 houses) was created1. House of Representatives-based
on population
2. Senate-two for each state
• Connecticut Compromise
Compromises (Slavery)• Should African slaves
count toward a states total population? – gain more representatives
and more power in the new government
• Southern states = YES• Northern states = NO
• 3/5 Compromise• For every 5 slaves a
state had 3 counted for representation and taxation
• International slave trade would END in 1808
Compromises (commerce) • Under the Articles
trade was controlled by the STATES– Northern states wanted
national government to have this power
– Southern states feared a loss of $$ through new export taxes-cotton
• Control of interstate trade went to National government– Interstate commerce
clause– All trade between the
states would be controlled by the National government
– National government also would COIN money
– Import taxes (tariffs) – but no export taxes
• Commerce Compromise
Compromises (Election of President)
• Should the people elect the President
OR• Should the state
legislatures elect the President
• Decision:• The Electoral College• Indirectly elect the
president with a group of electors/delegates
• This was done because the leaders didn’t trust the people to make good decisions!
Problems and Compromises
• Debt from the revolution was another issue that needed to be dealt with
• Southern states had paid theirs
• Northern states still owed millions to other nations
• Southern states agreed to pay off the debt as a nation if
• The new nations capital was placed in the south
• This issue and compromise was known as Assumption
A New Plan of Government
• By September 1787 the meeting was done
• The delegates had created a brand new constitution
• The Constitution of The United States of America
• It now needed to be ratified/approved by
• 9 of 13 states
The Fight for RatificationFederalists vs. Anti-federalists
• Favored ratifying• Saw no need to
add/change the new plan
• Organized supporters to write essays telling why new plan should be ratified-
• The Federalist Papers• GEORGE
WASHINGTON FAVORED RATIFICATION
• Feared the new constitution would result in
• A loss of personal and state rights
• Demanded a Bill of Rights be added
• To guarantee civil liberties/rights
The Fight for RatificationFederalists vs. Anti-federalists
• Promised to add a Bill of Rights in return wanted
• Guarantee Constitution would be ratified
• Agreed to ratification with addition of
• Bill of Rights 10 total 1791
• This became the final compromise
• The Constitution is known as a
• Bundle of Compromises
Articles vs. Constitution
• No power to tax• No Executive• No Judicial Branch• No control over trade
between the states• States could coin $$$• State governments
most power
• National gov’t taxes• President to enforce
laws• Supreme Court to
interpret laws• Controls interstate
commerce/trade• Only the national gov’t
can coin $$$• NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT SUPREME TO STATES