Constitution Chapter 2Constitution Chapter 2

The Constitutional ConventionThe Constitutional Convention

Section 2 – Convention Section 2 – Convention Proceedings and CompromisesProceedings and Compromises

Constitutional TermsConstitutional Terms

A. quorum – minimum number of A. quorum – minimum number of members that must be at meeting for members that must be at meeting for a vote to be legala vote to be legal

B. legislative – making the lawsB. legislative – making the lawsC. executive – carry out the lawsC. executive – carry out the lawsD. judicial – interpret the lawsD. judicial – interpret the lawsE. popular sovereignty – self E. popular sovereignty – self

government based on the will of the government based on the will of the peoplepeople

Constitutional Terms Cont.Constitutional Terms Cont.

F. Compromise – settling a difference F. Compromise – settling a difference by each side giving up something.by each side giving up something.

G. resolution – a groups opinion or G. resolution – a groups opinion or decisiondecision

H. Clause - section of a documentH. Clause - section of a document

Main IdeasMain Ideas

Important decisions the delegates Important decisions the delegates made on the first days of the made on the first days of the convention:convention:

1. Everything said at the convention 1. Everything said at the convention should be kept secretshould be kept secret

2. That they should write a new 2. That they should write a new constitution instead of trying to fix the constitution instead of trying to fix the Articles of ConfederationArticles of Confederation

Main IdeasMain Ideas

Virginia Plan & New Jersey PlanVirginia Plan & New Jersey Plan

SimilaritiesSimilarities- They both called for 3 branches of - They both called for 3 branches of

government.government.- They both gave the central - They both gave the central

government more power than the government more power than the Articles of Confederation did.Articles of Confederation did.

DifferencesDifferences

- New Jersey Plan - 1 house of Congress- New Jersey Plan - 1 house of Congress - Virginia Plan – 2 houses of Congress- Virginia Plan – 2 houses of Congress

- New Jersey Plan – representation in - New Jersey Plan – representation in Congress be equal for all statesCongress be equal for all states

- Virginia Plan – representation by - Virginia Plan – representation by proportionproportion

Differences Cont.Differences Cont.

New Jersey Plan – executive leader New Jersey Plan – executive leader consisting of several peopleconsisting of several people

Virginia Plan – 1 chief executiveVirginia Plan – 1 chief executive

CompromisesCompromises

Great CompromiseGreat CompromiseAKA the Connecticut CompromiseAKA the Connecticut Compromise2 Houses – House of Representatives 2 Houses – House of Representatives

& Senate& SenateA state’s representation in the House A state’s representation in the House

would be based on populationwould be based on populationEach state would have two Each state would have two

representatives in the Senaterepresentatives in the Senate

Why was the Great Compromise Why was the Great Compromise so important?so important?

This is how our country is still run This is how our country is still run todaytoday

This compromise allowed the This compromise allowed the convention to continue on and solve convention to continue on and solve other potential problemsother potential problems

Three-Fifths CompromiseThree-Fifths Compromise Southerners wanted to increase their Southerners wanted to increase their

representation in the House so they wanted representation in the House so they wanted to be able to count their slaves in the to be able to count their slaves in the population.population.

The northern states objected saying that The northern states objected saying that slaves were property and could not vote, so slaves were property and could not vote, so they should not be counted.they should not be counted.

Compromise was reached when both the Compromise was reached when both the north and the south agreed that slaves north and the south agreed that slaves would count as 3/5 of a person.would count as 3/5 of a person.

This compromise was removed from the This compromise was removed from the constitution when slavery was abolished by constitution when slavery was abolished by the 13the 13thth Amendment Amendment

Commerce and Slave Trade Commerce and Slave Trade AgreementsAgreements

Those favoring a strong central government Those favoring a strong central government wanted the new Congress to control trade wanted the new Congress to control trade between states and other countriesbetween states and other countries

Southern delegates were against this Southern delegates were against this because their economy depended on trade because their economy depended on trade with other countries and they did not want with other countries and they did not want to get taxed.to get taxed.

Compromise – Congress could not interfere Compromise – Congress could not interfere with the slave trade for 20 years after with the slave trade for 20 years after ratification of the Constitution.ratification of the Constitution.

Completing the Process Completing the Process

The delegates formed the The delegates formed the Committee ofCommittee of DetailDetail to assemble the to assemble the various resolutionsvarious resolutions

They appointed the They appointed the Committee on Committee on StyleStyle to put the resolutions in final to put the resolutions in final formform

What If the New Jersey Plan?What If the New Jersey Plan?

Would have been similar to our system Would have been similar to our system in some ways.in some ways.

BUTBUT

It would have retained the major It would have retained the major features of the Articles of features of the Articles of Confederation meaning - Less Confederation meaning - Less authority for the National Governmentauthority for the National Government