The Constitutional Convention

What it was

• 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

Attendees

Absent

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

• Eliminating the Articles of Confederation

• Now they would need to compromise in many areas

Problems and Compromises

• The Large and small states fought over REPRESENTATION in Congress-

• The more representatives in Congress the more power a state would have-VA vs. NJ Plans

• The Great Compromise-solved the representation debate

• A Bi-cameral legislature was created

• House of Representatives-based on population

• Senate-two for each state• Sometimes known as • Connecticut Compromise

Problems and Compromises

• Slavery was also a major problem

• Southern states wanted slaves counted for representation

• Not for taxes• Northern states

opposed this view

• For every 5 slaves a state had 3 counted for representation and taxation

• 3/5 Compromise• New slaves were not

to be imported after 1808-not an end to slavery

Problems and Compromises

• 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

• Import taxes (tariffs) but no export taxes

• Commerce Compromise

Problems and Compromises

• Delegates argued over election of a president

• Elected directly by the people or

• Elected by the state legislatures

• They decided to • Indirectly elect the

president with a • Group of electors

known as• The Electoral

College

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