
How did the Framers create the Constitution?

Lesson 8:
What were the Articles of Confederation, and Why Did Some
Founders Want to Change Them?

Lesson 9:

Lesson 10: Why Was Representation a Major Issue at the Philadelphia
Convention?

Lesson 11: What Questions Did the Framers Consider in Designing the
Three Branches of the National Government?

Lesson 12: How Did the Delegates Distribute Powers between National
and State Governments?

Lesson 13: What Was the Anti-Federalist Position in the Debate about
Ratification?

Lesson 14: What Was the Federalist Position in the Debate about
Ratification?
How was the Philadelphia Convention Organized?



After independence, the colonists first form of
government, the Articles of Confederation,
proved inadequate.
Fifty-five men, the Framers, met to create the US
Constitution, during which they debated the most
basic ideas about political life and government
institutions.
In this unit, you will learn why the Articles were
replaced, why the Constitution was created as it
was, and how the debates over ratification raised
issues debated to this day.



This lesson examines the government formed
by the Articles of Confederation.
This document reflects the political realities
and divisions among the states as well as the
need for unity.,
Many Americans felt the US government
under the Articles lacked sufficient authority
to meet the nation’s needs.



Describe the Articles of Confederation.
Explain why some thought the Articles were
too weak.
Evaluate, take, and defend positions on..
◦ The strengths and weaknesses of the Articles
◦ The significance of the Northwest Ordinance
◦ American’s mistrust of a strong national government

Articles of Confederation

Confederation

Shays' Rebellion
◦ (1781-1789) The first constitution of the United States,
created to form a perpetual union and a firm league of
friendship among the thirteen original states. It was
adopted by the Second Continental Congress on November
15, 1777, and sent to the states for ratification.
◦ A form of political organization in which the sovereign
states combine for certain specified purposes, such as
mutual defense. Member states can leave a confederation at
any time. The United States was a confederation from 1776
to 1789.
◦ An armed revolt by Massachusetts farmers seeking relief
from debt and mortgage foreclosures. The rebellion fueled
support for amending the Articles of Confederation.

Americans realized that they would need
some centralized leadership to address the
following issues
◦ Manage relationships between states
◦ Resolve border disputes
◦ Conduct relations with rest of world

Along with Declaration of Independence,
Second Continental Congress creates the first
US government, the Articles of Confederation
(1776)

Fear of a Strong Central Gov’t
◦ To many, their state was their country.
◦ British government’s “abuse” of power
could characterize a strong US
government
◦ Study of history suggested that
republican gov’t can only succeed in
small communities
◦ Articles considered a “firm league of
friendship”
 Most powers of government were given
to states
 Ex) Congress could not collect taxes,
could not regulate trade


Fear that some states
would dominate central
government
The following issues
pitted states against each
other
◦ Representation and voting in
Congress
◦ Payment for war expenses
◦ Territorial claims in the West



Secured recognition of American
Independence
Created executive departments and
admiralty courts (developed into
Cabinet & Federal Court System)
Northwest Ordinance (1787)
◦ Created process for territory to become a
state
◦ Prohibited slavery in new territory
◦ Guaranteed equality of new states

No power to tax
◦ Caused problems paying off war debts

No power to force states to recognize agreements
with foreign nations
◦ Damaged trade relations


No power to make laws regulating trade among
states
No power to makes laws directly regulating
behavior of citizens
Amendments never passed since all 13 states
needed to ratify
 Many leaders proposed a meeting, or
convention, to discuss changes
 Delegates then met in
Philadelphia to propose
changes to the Articles


100’s of farmers in MA
gathered to prevent courts
from selling their property
◦ Many ex-soldiers were not paid
their wages, therefore falling into
debt and losing their farms



Shays and his men attempt to
capture weapons arsenal
Governor calls militia to put
down rebellion
Fears generated by this and
similar conflicts convinced
many that a stronger national
government was needed



This lesson describes the important people
and their first steps at the Constitutional
Convention in Philadelphia, 1787.
The structure and rules set forth for debate
played a major role by providing a framework
for civil discourse.
The Virginia Plan created the agenda for
subsequent discussion & debate.



Describe the organizing phase of the
convention.
Explain the significance of rules and agendas
for effective civil discussion.
Evaluate, take, and defend positions on
◦ determining what interests should be represented
in a constitutional convention
◦ the advantages and disadvantages of secrecy in
governmental deliberations

civil discourse

Constitutional Convention

delegate

federal system

national government

proportional representation
◦ Reasoned discussion as opposed to emotional display.
◦ The meeting held in Philadelphia from May to September 1787 at which
the US Constitution was written.
◦ (1) (noun) A person chosen to act for or represent others. (2) (verb) To
entrust someone to represent your interests.
◦ A form of government in which power is divided and shared between a
central government and state and local governments.
◦ The organization having central political authority in a nation; the
representative unit of political organization.
◦ In the context of American government, the electoral system in which
the number of representatives for a state is based on the number of
people living in the state. Proportional representation is used to
determine the number of each state's representatives in the U.S. House
of Representatives.



55 delegates from states (Framers)
Ave. age 42, ¾ had served in Congress
Most were prominent political leaders, very
qualified
◦ George Washington
 Most respected Military Leader in nation
◦ James Madison
 Had greatest influence on organization of national
gov’t
◦ Benjamin Franklin
 81, poor heath, but internationally renown statesmen
◦ Alexander Hamilton
 Most prominent supporter of strong national gov’t

Thomas Jefferson
◦ In Paris as US minister to France

John Adams
◦ US ambassador to Great Britain

Patrick Henry
◦ Refused to attend, suspicious of
convention

RI
◦ Opposed to stronger national
gov’t






At least 7 states must be present each day
While speaking, others had to listen
Member could not speak more than 2x on
same question
Committees appointed as necessary
Any decision subject to change until entire
plan complete
Convention’s proceedings kept secret




Many delegates wanted to completely scrap
Articles, not just amend
Madison proposes new, stronger government
Two governments, national & state (Federal
system)
Three braches of national government
◦ Legislative – make laws (most powerful)
◦ Executive – enforce laws
◦ Judicial – interpret laws

Legislature (congress) would have two branches
◦ House of Representatives – elected by the people
◦ Senate – Proposed by States, selected by the House

Representation from each state in both
houses based on population or amount
contributed to federal treasury.
◦ Proportional representation means that states with
a larger population have more representation

Congress would have power to make laws
that states were not able to make
◦ Ex) regulating trade between states

This lesson examines:
◦ The debate over what, or who, the national
government will represent.
◦ The Great Compromise, which dealt with the
makeup of the House and Senate.
◦ How population would be counted for
representation in the House.
◦ How new states might receive representation in
Congress.



Explain the differences between the Virginia
Plan and the New Jersey Plan and the
importance of the Great Compromise.
Explain how the Framers addressed regional
issues with the 3/5ths compromise and the
provision for periodic census of the
population.
Evaluate, take, and defend positions on why
major issues debated at the Convention are
still on the national agenda.

Great Compromise

Three-Fifths Compromise
◦ A plan accepted at the Philadelphia Convention in 1787 that
called for a Congress of two houses: in the upper house, or
Senate, representation of the states would be equal, with each
state having two senators; in the lower house, or House of
Representatives, representation would be apportioned
according to the population of each state, so that states with
more people would have more representatives. Also called the
Connecticut Compromise.
◦ Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, later
eliminated by the Fourteenth Amendment. The clause
provided that each slave should be counted as three–fifths of
a person in determining the number of representatives a state
might send to the House of Representatives. It also
determined the amount of direct taxes Congress might levy
on a state.





No disagreement over two-house Congress
Proportional representation was the issue
Madison – states should not be represented
as states in national government. Instead,
representatives should serve the people.
Those who sought Equal representation
thought national government derived from
and represented the States, not the people.
Big states favored Proportional rep, small
states favored Equal rep.





Similar to Articles of Confederation
One house Congress, equal
representation
Most delegates were convinced that a
unicameral Congress would not work,
and NJ Plan voted down.
However, many small state delegates
refused to accept Virginia Plan due to
their concerns over large states’ power
under proportional representation.
Disagreement over this issue almost
ended the convention.

Great/Connecticut Compromise’s provisions
◦ House of Representatives= Proportional Rep.
◦ Senate = Equal Rep. (2 per state – chosen by state
legislature)
Senate appeased small states, House
appeased big states
 The compromise passed
by 1 vote




What did proportional representation mean?
Southern states want slaves to count towards
representation
Northern states thought counting them would only
benefit, and empower, slave owners
◦ If they are considered property, why should property be
represented?

The Compromise
◦ state’s population, in regards to
apportioning representation, would
be equal to free population plus
3/5ths slaves
◦ Slaves also counted as 3/5ths when
computing taxes paid by each state
to federal government


New states would have full
representation in congress
A census would be taken
every 10 years to
reapportion seats in the
House based on the shift in
America’s population.