Name:
Date:
Period #:
Constitutional Compromises
Warm-Up!!!
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Constitutional Compromises and the Amendment Process
United States Congress
(Legislative Branch)
Based on population
State Name
2 per state
# of Representatives (Rank 1,2, 3, or 4 in order of greatest
to least)
# of Senators
California
Rhode Island
Texas
Arizona
11) As a result of the ______________________________________________________ slaves would be counted as
_______________ or ____________% of a person in terms of a state’s population.
1
Name:
Date:
Period #:
A
Constitutional
Amendment
The Great Compromise
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention came from different backgrounds and did not agree on all
issues. There were many conflicts and debates at the Constitutional Convention. The first conflict was
about what formula should be used for Congressional representation or how many representatives
each state should be allowed in Congress (legislature).
The larger states favored the Virginia Plan. According to the Virginia Plan, each state would have a
different number of representatives based on the state's population.
The smaller states favored the New Jersey Plan. According to the New Jersey Plan, the number of
representatives would be the same for each state.
A delegate from Connecticut, Roger Sherman, proposed a two-house legislature plan known as the
Great Compromise. The Great Compromise consisted of a Senate and a House of Representatives.
The Senate would have an equal number of representatives from each state. This would satisfy the
states with smaller populations. The House of Representatives would include one representative for
each 30,000 individuals in a state. This pleased states with larger populations. This two-house
legislature plan worked for all states.
2
Name:
Date:
•
O-Overview (What is going on in the image?)
•
P-Parts (What are three things you see in the image?)
•
T-Title (Give the image your own title)
•
I-Interrelationship (Why did you give it that title?)
•
C-Conclusion (Based on what you know, why do you think this image being shown?)
Period #:
The Three-Fifths Compromise
During the Constitutional Convention, the delegates could not agree on many things. They had to
compromise. Each side gave in on little things to get more important things for the whole country.
One of the more important compromises concerned slavery. The country asked if the slaves were
considered property or population? Population decides the number of representatives in the House of
Representatives. Property decides the amount of taxes to be paid. The South wanted the slaves to
count as population. That meant more representatives and fewer taxes. The North wanted slaves to
3
Name:
Date:
Period #:
count as property. That meant more taxes and fewer representatives for the South. The compromise
they reached was that each slave would count as three-fifths of a person for both tax and
representation purposes.
4 C’s Questions
Your Answer
Context – What was
the issue facing the
delegates about
slavery? Describe
why this was an
issue.
Choices – What were
the two different
sides? Why did these
differences exist?
Course – What
compromise decision
did the delegates
reach? Describe how
this decision gave
something to both
sides in the debate.
Consequences –
Draw one conclusion
about the
consequences of the
compromise.
(Example – How do
you think slaves felt
about this?)
What would have happened had the Founding Fathers not compromised at the Constitutional
Convention?
Explain the Great Compromise in your own words.
Explain the 3/5ths Compromise in your own words.
4
Name:
Date:
Period #:
The Constitutional Convention
1. Explain the main reason the States needed to write a new Constitution.
2. Identify these 4 major delegates to the Constitutional Convention:
___________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
3. Describe the Virginia Plan.
How was representation in Congress determined according to the Virginia Plan?
4. Describe the New Jersey Plan.
How was representation in Congress determined according to the New Jersey Plan?
5. What was the main difference between the Virginia and New Jersey Plans. Why did the two States’ differ on this
issue?
6. How were the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan merged under The Great Compromise?
7. Explain the issue/controversy that arose during the Constitutional Convention regarding slavery.
5
Name:
Date:
Period #:
8. What compromise was agreed to in order to deal with this issue. Explain the compromise.
If you were a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, would you agree or disagree with this compromise?
Issue #1: Equal Versus Proportional Representation
Estimated Population of American States in 1780
STATE
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Delaware
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
WHITE
87,561
263,805
50,275
200,816
189,487
129,167
319,450
42,389
164,959
317,422
179,133
83,000
35,240
BLACK
541
4,822
2,671
5,885
21,054
10,460
7,855
2,996
80,515
220,582
91,000
97,000
20,831
TOTAL
88,802
268,627
52,946
206,701
210,541
139,627
327,305
45,385
245,474
538,004
270,133
180,000
56,071
1. Which is the largest state?
2. Which state has the most White residents?
3. Which state had the smallest population?
4. Using a calculator, figure out the percentage of the white population in your state.
5. Using a calculator, figure out the percentage of the black population in your state.
6. Which states will benefit if black slaves are counted in the population figures?
6
Name:
Date:
Period #:
7. Which states will lose power if black slaves are counted in the population figures?
Issue # 2: Slavery
Choose a state: The issue of slavery would divide the delegates along sectional lines (North versus South)
1. Does your state use slave labor? If so, to what extent?
2. List arguments in favor of keeping open the slave trade.
3. List arguments against the slave trade.
4. Based on your answer to the question above, what will be your delegations position on this issue? Write a
paragraph below that describes and defends your position.
7
Name:
Date:
Period #:
Issue # 3: Slaves as representative Population
Enslaved Population of the United States, 1790
State
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Virginia
Total Population
Enslaved
Population
Percent Enslaved
237,946
59,096
82,548
319,729
475,307
141,885
184,139
340,120
393,751
434,373
68,825
249,073
747,600
2,648
8,837
29,624
103,036
0
157
11,423
21,193
100,783
3,707
958
107,094
292,627
1.11
14.95
35.89
32.33
0
0.11
6.20
6.23
25.60
0.85
1.39
43.00
39.14
Distribution of Power under the New Constitution
State
Non Slave
Population
# of
Representative
s in the House
of Reps based
on non-slave
population
(number/30,000
)
Enslaved
Population
# of Representatives in
the House of Reps
based on slaves
(number x
0.6/30,000)
Total # of
Representativ
es in the
House for that
state
Total # of
Presidentia
l Electors
for that
state
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Virginia
8
Name:
Date:
Period #:
Issue #4: Farming State Versus Manufacturing States
Should the national government have the power to place tariffs on imports?
The North
Shipbuilding was one of the main industries in the northern states. They also depended on lumber, fishing, and
furs to strengthen their economy. In some places small industries began to flourish.
The country as a whole still depended on the outside world to get manufactured goods. However, the growing
manufacturing industry in the northern states needed nurturing to get started. This becomes important when you consider
the question of tariffs. Some states apply tariffs (taxes on imported goods) while others don’t. Manufacturing companies
had a hard time competing with the cheap goods coming in from England. The northern states will be more likely to give
the national government the power to tax imports and control international trade.
The South
The southern economy was primarily one of agriculture- rice, tobacco, indigo, and cotton. These crops were
grown with the help of slave labor on large plantations. These plantations produced far more than Americans could use.
Therefore, the Southerners needed to find countries that would buy their goods now that they no longer had to sell all their
goods only to England.
The south must export their crops to other countries or their economy will be in a disastrous situation. If the
national government places tariffs on imports, the countries buying southern products may respond by boycotting
American goods. The south may also worry that the national government will charge an export tax on all their rice and
tobacco going to Europe. The government might try to do this in order to raise money.
Directions:
1. Would your state benefit if the national government had the power to control international trade and place tariffs
on imports? Why? Write your state’s response to this issue below.
Two Plans proposed at the Constitutional Convention
Plan A
Type of
Government
Get rid of the Articles of Confederation and
establish a federal system where the state
government has authority over certain tasks
and the national government has the power
over other tasks. This would create a much
stronger national government than under the
Articles
Legislative
Branch
2 Houses of Congress
1. House of Representatives
Chosen by the people
2. Senate
Chosen by the House of Representatives
Plan B
Keep the basic structure of the Articles of
Confederation but give the central government
more powers. This would keep most political
power in the hands of the state governments.
1 House – Congress
Chosen by the state legislatures
9
Name:
Method of
Representation
Date:
Period #:
Proportional representation for both houses
Equal representation
The national government would…..
The national government would…..
1
Powers of
Legislative
Branch
2
3
4
5
6
7
Executive
Branch
Slavery
Make laws controlling trade between
two or more states
Raise tariffs on foreign trade
Strike down state laws that it considers
harmful to the national interest
Keep and maintain an army to protect
the nation
Raise and collect it’s own taxes. No
state approval required
Make treaties with foreign countries
Enforce its laws in its own courts
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
No power to make laws controlling
trade between two or more states
Raise tariffs on foreign trade
No power to strike down state laws.
States have complete authority over
their own affairs. I.e. No national
interference.
Keep and maintain an army to protect
the nation
Must collect money from states and
can force payment if necessary – but
cannot raise its own taxes
Make treaties with foreign countries
Laws will be enforced in state courts.
One person – President – chosen by the
members of the House of Representatives and
the Senate
Several people working together (like a
committee) chosen by Congress
No mention of the slave trade or slavery
No mention of the slave trade or slavery
Directions:
1
Study each point in both plans above and make a list of the advantages and disadvantages to your state for Plan
A and Plan B. Use the format outlined below.
Plan A
Advantages
Disadvantages
Plan B
Advantages
Disadvantages
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Name:
Date:
Period #:
2. Which plan does your state prefer? Neither plan will include everything you want, so you must decide which plan
benefits your state the most. You will need to have CLEAR reasons for choosing either plan A or plan B. You will
need to include this information in your persuasive speech.
11