Constitutional
Convention
( May 25, 1787)
How was the United States
Government formed?
Chapter 7 lesson 4
Purpose of
What was The
of the
thepurpose
Constitutional
Constitutional
Convention?
ArticlesofofConfederation
Confederation
Articles
The goal was to
revise the Articles
of Confederation.
It was quickly
decided to replace
them.
What to do about the Articles
government?
55 delegates met at the Convention.
8 had signed the Declaration and
George Washington was elected as
president of the convention.
Most delegates were young like
James Madison and Alexander
Hamilton who believed the nation
was sick and “needed a powerful
remedy.”
• Planned to revise (or
fix) the Articles of
Confederation
• DECISION 1: They
decided to make a new
government.
• This would lead to
problems later because
colonists would accuse
them of doing
something extra-legal
(beyond the law)!
How could the problems be fixed?
• Delegates disagreed on how much
power to give the new
government.
• Edmund Randolph and James
Madison proposed the Virginia
Plan – Called for a strong national
government with three branches
James Madison was
(legislative, judicial, and
nicknamed the “Father executive).
of the Constitution” • The legislature would have two
because of his ideas
houses (bicameral) with
about how to structure
representation based on a state’s
a government (VA Plan).
population.
…How could the problems be fixed?
• Delegates from the small states
did not like the VA Plan – They
would lose all power!
• Proposed the New Jersey Plan
– had three branches but had
only one house that (like the
Articles) would have only one
vote for each state (equal
representation).
• It was really a slightly more
powerful version of the
Articles.
Patterson’s plan was an
attempt to keep power for
the small states but it had
little chance of passing
because it was too much
like the Articles.
1) Compare and contrast the Virginia Plan and
the New Jersey Plan
2) Create a diagram to show your answer
• PLEASE answer on your
4 LEFT page – DO LATER
3 min.
What did they decide to do?
(the solution to the big argument)
Most of
Madison’s VA
Plan was
accepted –
making it the
basis of the new
government.
• The Great (or Connecticut)
Compromise
• Keep the Virginia Plan but have
two houses with one (the
House of Representatives)
based on population and the
other (the Senate) based on
equal representation (two per
state).
• This way both sides were
happy (or at least satisfied)
The Great (or Connecticut)
Compromise
HowTHE
doesGREAT
greatCOMPROMISE!
compromise look
today?
• TWO House Legislative:
• The House of Representatives would have
representatives based on Population (435 today)
• The Senate would have equal representation
for all states. Each state will have two Senators
(100 total for the U.S. Today)
• Big and small states were satisfied
What to do about slavery?
• Many northerners wanted to end slavery – they
thought counting slaves for representation was
unfair because they could not vote. Southerners
refused to give in – they threatened to walk out.
• 3/5ths Compromise: slaves would be counted for
population and taxes in the South but they would
only count for 3/5’s of a white southerner. (5,000
slaves would count as 3,000). Neither side was
really happy with this.
3/5 th Compromise
How should trade be controlled?
• The slave trade could only
be made illegal after 20
years.
• Result: The slave trade
remained untouched leading
to the expansion of slavery
into new states which
created bigger problem!
• National government would
control trade between
states (interstate commerce)
and the states would control
trade within their borders.
Trade Compromises
What to do about an executive?
TOOK Office:
April 30, 1789
LEFT office:
March 4, 1797
• Had many options: King,
prime minister, or a
President
• Had to decide how to
choose the president:
• Combined different
ideas to form the
Electoral College
(indirect election).
• Also decided the
president would have a 4
year term with no limit
to the amount of terms.
Executive Compromises
FOR UNDERSTANDING
Assessment on 4 Left page
Why was a convention called?
a. To make a new government
b. To solve the arguments of
representation and slavery
c. To revise or fix the Articles of
Confederation
d. To solve the arguments between the
Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
What was the Virginia Plan?
a. A plan to give small states equal
representation
b. A plan with a strong executive chosen by the
Electoral College
c. A plan with three branches that gave one
vote to each state
d. A plan with representation based on
population.
What was the New Jersey Plan?
a. A plan with three branches that gave each
state one vote.
b. A plan that gave power to big states.
c. A plan with three branches based on
population.
d. A plan for a new government that was very
different from the Articles of Confederation.
What solved the argument between
the big and small states?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The 3/5’s Compromise
The Virginia Plan was accepted
The plan to have a president.
The Great Compromise.
What was the Great
Compromise?
a. A plan that gave power to all states because
it gave each state equal power.
b. A plan that created two houses, one based
on population and the other was equal.
c. An agreement to count 3/5’s of the slaves for
population.
d. The agreement to end the slave trade after
20 years.
What decisions were made about
slavery at the Constitutional
Convention?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The 3/5’s Compromise
The Virginia Plan
The slave trade was outlawed
The Great Compromise
What decision was made about
the Executive Branch?
a. They would not have one.
b. They would have a president chosen by the
people
c. They would have a president chosen by the
Electoral College.
d. The president would be chosen by Congress.
What decision was made about
trade?
a. The government could control interstate
commerce.
b. Slavery would be allowed in all states for 20
years.
c. Each state could control trade
d. The president could control trade with the
Electoral College.
What was the biggest argument at
the Constitutional Convention?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Slavery
Representation in Congress
The Executive Branch
The decision to start a new government.
a) Constitutional Convention b) Great Compromise
c) Virginia Plan
d) New Jersey Plan
___1. Madison’s Plan for the new government provided for a two-house
legislature. Seats in both houses would be awarded to each state on the basis
of population. Thus, large states would have more representatives than smaller
states.
___2. Paterson presented a plan that had the support of the small states. It
provided for a legislature that had only one house. Each state, no matter what
the size of its population, would have one vote in the legislature.
___3. The two sizes were deadlocked. Finally, Sherman worked out a
compromise. His plan called for a two-house legislature. Seats in one house
would be based on a state’s population. In the other house, each state would
have two members.
___4. Washington was elected president of the assembly, which included eight
signers of the Declaration of Independence. The oldest of the delegates was
Ben Franklin. Newer leaders included Hamilton and Madison.