Chapter 9
Constitutional
Convention
Lesson 2
Constitutional Convention
• Delegates met in Philadelphia to change the way the
government worked.
• This meeting of these 55 delegates became known as the
Constitutional Convention.
• Only white men who owned land were included.
• James Madison, George
Washington, and Benjamin
Franklin were all present.
Changing the Articles of Confederation
• Madison and Washington wanted a federal system.
• In a federal system, the states share power with the
central government, but the central government has
more power.
• In addition, Madison wanted a republic
government.
A republic is a
government in which
the citizens elect
leaders to represent
them. The power
comes from the
citizens.
Creating a New Government
• Edmund Randolph, governor
of Virginia presented
Madison’s plan.
• He called it the Virginia Plan.
• This plan called for a federal
system in which the national
government had three parts or
branches.
• Many state governments were
already set up this way.
• One branch, the Congress would
make laws;
• another would carry them out;
• another, the courts, would settle
legal arguments.
The Virginia Plan
• Most delegates accepted the Virginia Plan. There was
only one part that many did not like.
• It stated the members in Congress would be based on
that state’s population. Smaller states did not like this.
• Smaller states came up with the New Jersey Plan. This
plan gave each state one vote so all states would have
the same amount of power.
• Roger Sherman of Connecticut offered a solution. He
suggested dividing Congress into two parts or houses.
• Each state would have an = number of representatives in
one house, the Senate.
• The other House, the House of Representatives would be
base on population.
• This became known as the Great Compromise.
• A compromise means that both sides give up
something.
The Issue of Slavery
• Another problem delegates argued over
was slavery.
• Counting slaves would give some states
more representatives in Congress.
• Many delegates thought this was unfair because
slaves were treated as property, not citizens
• This led to the 3/5 Rule.
• The rule counted five slaves for three
free people.
Ratifying the Constitution
• On September 17, 1787, the
Constitution of the U S was signed.
• It was based on Madison’s Plan.
• For this, Madison has been called
the Father of the Constitution.
• Before the Constitution could be used,
at least 9 of 13 states had to ratify or
accept it.
• Those who supported the Constitution
were known as Federalists.
• They had to convince these states to
accept it.
Antifederalists
• Those who were against a federal system
were called Anti-federalists.
• Their biggest complaint was that the
Constitution did not have a Bill of Rights.
• A Bill of Rights is a list of the rights of
individuals, such as freedom and religion.
• Madison and other Federalist agreed to
add once the Constitution was accepted.
Ratification
• Delaware was the first state to ratify or
accept the Constitution.
• In the end, all 13 states ratified.
• The United States had a new government.
Vocabulary review
A system where states share
power with the central
government
federal system
A government in which the
citizens elect leaders to
represent them.
republic
When both sides give
up something
To accept
compromise
ratify
Vocabulary Review continued
constitution
citizen
territory
ordinance
A written plan for
government.
An official member of a
city, a state, or a nation.
Land ruled by a national
government but which has no
representatives in the
government.
A law