Name _________________________________
Ch.7 Sec.2 The Constitution
Today you will …
 Identify the leaders of the Constitutional Convention
 Explain the main differences between the two rival plans for the new Constitution
 Describe the Compromises the delegates had to reach before the Constitution could be signed
Setting the Scene (pg.206)
1. An air of M _ _ _ _ _ _ hung over the State House in P _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
All through the H _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ , the nation’s great leaders passed in & out
of the doors. G _ _ _ _ _ allowed only the delegates to enter. The windows remained
C _ _ _ _ _ , to keep passersby from O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ any debates.
2. Many citizens of Philadelphia were C _ _ _ _ _ _ & E _ _ _ _ _ _ . The “grand
convention” that was occuring would form either a
N _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ of G _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ or fix the Articles of Confederation.
The Delegates to the Convention (pg.206)
3. Constitutional Convention …
 the convention opened on M _ _ 25, 17 _ _
 the convention’s goal was to revise the A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 12 States sent Representatives … except R _ _ _ _ I _ _ _ _ _
An Amazing Assembly (pg.206-207)
4. _ _ delegates were at the convention. _ of them had signed the Declaration of
Independence. B _ _ F _ _ _ _ _ _ _ was the oldest delegate at _ _ years of age.
5. George Washington was a representative from V _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . Washington was so well
respected that the delegates at once elected him p _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the Convention.
6. Nearly half the young men were in their T _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ,
including A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
H _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of New York.
7. WHY did Hamilton despise the Articles of Confederation?
James Madison (pg.207)
8. List 3 facts about James Madison:
 _____________________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________________________
Secret Debates (pg.207)
9. A) WHY did delegates want the debates about the new constitution to be secret with noone
overhearing their discussion? AND B) what were the physical conditions of the convention like?
A.
B.
Two Rival Plans (pg.207-208)
10. Soon after the Constitutiuon Convention began, what did the delegates realize?
The Virginia Plan (pg.208)
11. The Virginia Plan called for 3 branches of government …
 Legislative Branch = P _ _ _ the L _ _ _
 Executive Branch = C _ _ _ _ O _ _ the L _ _ _
 Judicial Branch = S _ _ _ _ _ of C _ _ _ _ _
12. EXPLAIN why the states with bigger POPULATIONS would support the Virginia Plan?
The New Jersey Plan (pg.208)
13. S _ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ opposed the Virginia Plan
14. EXPLAIN why the states with smaller populations supported the New Jersey Plan?
The Great Compromise (pg.208)
15. For a while, no agreement could be reached & tempers flared … what COMPROMISE was
reached that kept the Constitution Convention from falling apart? Essential, how did the plan
work so that both the large & small states ended up endorsing?
Northern & Southern States Compromise (pg.208-209)
16. Besides large vs. small states, the convention saw WHAT major disagreement between the
Northern & Southern states?
The Three-Fifths Compromise (pg.209)
17. A) Why did Southerners want to include enslaved people in the population counts of their
states? AND B) Why did Northerners NOT agree with enslaved people counting?
A.
B.
18. What COMPROMISE did the delegates reach? How would the COMPROMISE work?
The Slave Trade (pg.209)
19. How did Northerners & Southerners each SPECIFICALLY feel about the SLAVE TRADE?
Northerners =
Southerners =
20. Northerners & Southerners compromised once again …
 Congress could N _ _ O _ _ _ _ _ the slave trade for at least _ _ years
 After that, Congress could R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the S _ _ _ _ T _ _ _ _ if it wished
 F _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S _ _ _ _ _ would be returned to their owners who claimed that slave
Signing the Constitution (pg.210)
21. As the long, hot summer drew to a close, the wear delegates still have many
Q _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to A _ _ _ _ _ .
22. Finally, the Constitution was signed on S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 17, _ _ _ _ .
23. A) What is the term given to the opening of the Constituion AND B) what does the opening
line of the Constitution say?
A.
B.
24. A) Ben Frankling is the last delegate to speak at the Constitution Convention … What does
he plead for to happen? AND B) What is Franklin’s argument?
A.
B.
25. How many states had to approve the new Constitution for it to go into effect? _______