U.S. History

Chapter 8: Forming a GovernmentSection 3: The Constitution

The Constitutional Convention

• Feb 1787: Confederation Congress invites states to send delegates to discuss ways to improve Articles

The Constitutional Convention

•Constitutional Convention—convention in which delegates discuss ways to improve the Articles of Confederation

Benjamin Franklin

James Madison

George Washington

The Great Compromise

•Dividing Issues

–Make revisions/Rewrite

–Representation

–Slavery

–Economic policies

–Power of government

The Virginia Plan

a.k.a The Big State Plan

The Great Compromise

• Presented by Edmund Randolph

• Written mainly by James Madison

The Great Compromise

•The Virginia Plan

–Government with three branches

–Bicameral legislature

The Great Compromise

•The Virginia Plan

–Favored large states by basing representation in the legislature on state population

–Disliked by small states

The New Jersey Plan

a.k.a The Small State Plan

The Great Compromise

•Presented by NJ delegate William Paterson

William Paterson

The Great Compromise

•New Jersey Plan

–Unicameral legislature

–All states had an equal number of votes

The Great Compromise

•New Jersey Plan

–Power to tax & regulate congress

–Disliked by big states

The Great Compromise

• The “Great Compromise”:

– Upper House (Senate): each state would have an equal number of votes

– Lower House (House of Reps): votes apportioned based on state population

Three-Fifths Compromise

•Regional Differences

–South: wanted slaves to be counted in state populations

–North: wanted number of slaves to determine taxes, not representation

Three-Fifths Compromise

•Three-Fifths Compromise

–Resolved disputes over the southern slaves population

–3/5 of slaves in each state count in determining a state’s population

Three-Fifths Compromise

•Foreign slave trade

–North: agreed to not end slave trade for twenty years

–South: agreed to stop insisting laws require 2/3 majority for passage

Our Living Constitution

•Popular Sovereignty—the idea that political authority belongs to the people

Our Living Constitution

•Federalism—sharing of power between a central government and the states that make up a country

A Delicate Balance

• Three Branches

– Legislative: proposes & passes laws

U.S. Capital

A Delicate Balance

•Three Branches

–Executive: makes sure laws are carried out

White House

A Delicate Balance

• Three Branches

– Judicial Branch: interpreting law, punishing criminals, settling duties

Supreme Court Building

A Delicate Balance

•Checks & Balances—ensures that no one branch of government will overpower another

Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan

The Great Compromise

Northern States Southern States

3/5 Compromise