BEFORE YOU READ

SECTION

THE INSIDESTORY Will the Constitution succeed?

It was the final day of the ConstitutionalConvention: September 17, 1787. The

aging Benjamin Franklin, always a shrewd politician, knewit was important for the convention delegates to appearunited. But down to the last minute, some delegates werestill arguing. Local loyalties were still strong.

Franklin offered a final persuasive speech, read aloudby another delegate. He said that the new Constitutionmight not be perfect, but it was the best one possible.

Then the convention’s oldest delegate made a motionthat the meeting approve the Constitution unanimously.Although individual delegates still disagreed, every statepresent said yes. Delegates stepped forward, one at a time,to sign the document. Stories say there were tears in Frank-lin’s eyes as he picked up the quill pen. He looked towardthe chair where George Washington had sat to preside overthe meeting. The image of a sun was painted on the back.

James Madison described the scene: Franklin remarkedthat painters had trouble showing the difference between arising and a setting sun. He went on, “I have often and oftenin the course of Session . . . looked at that [sun] behind thepresident without being able to tell whether it was risingor setting. But now at length I have the happiness to knowthat it is a rising and not a setting Sun.”

A Rising Sun or a Setting Sun?

MAIN IDEAFederalists andAntifederalistsstruggled over theprinciples of thenew Constitution.But the promiseof adding a Bill ofRights broughtabout ratification.

READING FOCUS 1. What arguments for and against

the Constitution were put forth byFederalists and Antifederalists?

2. What ideas were published in TheFederalist?

3. Why was adding a Bill of Rightssignificant in the ratificationprocess?

KEY TERMS AND PEOPLEFederalistAntifederalistAlexander HamiltonBrutusBill of RightsPubliusThe FederalistJohn Jaydelegated powersreserved powers

Ratifying the Constitution3

The sunburst on theback of Washington’schair symbolized faith inthe new Constitution.

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TAKINGNOTES

As you read,take notes

on the reasons for addinga Bill of Rights to the Con-stitution. You may want toorganize your reasons in adiagram like this one.

Reasons for a Bill of Rights

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Teach the Main Idea

BellringerThe Inside Story. . . Use the Daily Bellringer Transparency to help students answer the question.

Daily Bellringer Transparency, Section 3

Academic VocabularyReview with students the high-use academic term in this section.deviate depart from a standard or principle (p. 161)

CRF: Vocabulary Builder Activity, Section 3

Ratifying the Constitution1. Teach Ask students the Reading Focus

questions to teach this section.

2. Apply To help students put the ratifi cation of the Constitution in perspective, have them work in pairs to create a time line for this section. Have them include all the events in this section that have specifi c dates.

3. Review Review student time lines as a class. Have students call out the events in order, with their dates. As they do so, create a time line for the class to see. Time lines

should begin with the meeting of delegates at the Philadelphia Convention and end with the approval of the Bill of Rights.

4. Practice/Homework Have each student write an editorial either supporting or opposing ratifi cation of the Constitution. Student editorials should include valid arguments in support of their positions.

Visual-Spatial, Verbal-Linguistic

Alternative Assessment Handbook, Rubrics 17: Letters to Editors; and 36: Time Lines

At Level

Creating a New Government Daily BellringerChapter 5, Section 3

Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.

Test What You Know

In your own words, write the definition of each term.

1. the Great Compromise

2. checks and balances

3. three-fifths compromise

4. Constitutional Convention

Preview Section 3

The Inside Story

Will the Constitution succeed?The Constitutional Convention wascontentious until its last moments. Onits final day, Benjamin Franklinoffered a stirring speech aimed atinspiring the delegates to at leastappear united, which he knew wouldbe important. The Constitution maynot be perfect, but it was the best onepossible, Franklin proclaimed. Thedelegates unanimously approved thedocument. Signing the Constitution,Franklin said he had often wonderedwhether the sun painted on the back ofGeorge Washington’s chair was arising sun or a setting sun. Now hecould see it was rising.

Review Answers: 1. an agreement that created two houses of Congress, balancing representation between largeand small states; 2. policies that enable each branch of government to balance actions taken by other branches;3. an agreement by which all whites plus three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for the purposes ofrepresentation and taxation; 4. a meeting of delegates from 12 states for the purpose of creating a newConstitution for the United States

Preview Answers: 1. Yes, the delegates unanimously approved the new Constitution. 2. possible answer—Hemeant that the rising sun was a symbol of the nation’s bright future.

1. Was Benjamin Franklin’sspeech on the last day of theConstitutional Conventionsuccessful in its goal tounite the delegates?

2. What do you thinkBenjamin Franklin meantwhen he said he could nowtell that the sun onWashington’s chair was arising sun?

Taking Notesprotect basic individual liberties, protect states’ interests; gain Antifederalists’ support for Constitution

CREATING A NEW GOVERNMENT 157

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