The Constitutional Convention
By 1787 most citizens agreed that the Articles were
flawed and needed at least two major changes:
• The power to regulate interstate
and international commerce
• The power to tax
• After Shays’ Rebellion, Congress called for a
convention to revise the Articles of
Confederation.
• Instead, they created an entirely new
constitution.
The Constitutional Convention met in
Philadelphia in 1787
12 states sent delegates
(Rhode Island did not)
constitution- a written plan of government
53 of the nation’s top leaders convened
at the Pennsylvania State House.
• Most helped to write their state constitutions.
• Most were rich.
• All were white males.
• 21 fought in the Revolution.
• 8 were signers of the
Declaration of Independence.
Who came?
Leaders present:
James Madison
William Paterson
Benjamin Franklin
Roger Sherman
James Wilson
Alexander Hamilton
George Mason
John Dickinson
Edmund Randolph
Elbridge Gerry
Charles Pinckney
Gouverneur Morris
• Missing: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
They were serving as diplomats in Europe.
• George Washington was chosen as president
of the Convention.
New Jersey’s Delegates
William Livingston
David Brearly (Brearley)
William Paterson (Patterson)
Jonathan Dayton
William C. Houston*
“in revising the foederal system we ought to inquire 1.
into the properties, which such a government ought to
possess, 2. the defects of the confederation, 3. the
danger of our situation & 4. the remedy.”-Edmund
Randolph, VA
• http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/deb
ates_529.asp
Framers of the Constitution
Alexander
Hamilton
advocated a
powerful
central
government.
Ben
Franklin
contributed
experience,
wisdom,
and prestige.
Framers of the Constitution
Called the
Father of the
Constitution,
James
Madison
already had a
plan of
government in
mind.
Called the
Father of
our Country,
George
Washington
attracted
crowds when
he arrived in
Philadelphia.
Hamilton and Madison emerged as leaders.
Alexander Hamilton
•
Conservative; he feared
too much democracy
•
Favored a balance of
aristocracy, monarchy,
and republicanism
James Madison
•
Favored a large republic with
diverse interests to preserve
the common good
•
Favored a system where
different interests would
“check” each other’s power to
ensure liberty
The delegates to the convention disagreed over
many issues. To come up with a new plan of
government, they needed to compromise.
Compromise- a method of reaching agreement
in which each side gives up something that it
wants
James Madison proposed his• A strong federal government
with power to tax, regulate
Virginia Plan:
commerce, and veto state
laws
• A Senate and a House of
Representatives, both based
on population
• A strong President to
command the military and
manage foreign relations
William Patterson
proposed the
New Jersey Plan:
• An executive by committee
rather than one leader
• A unicameral legislature
with one vote per state
regardless of population
• States retain sovereignty
except for a few powers
granted to the federal
government
Roger Sherman proposed
The Great Compromise to
break the impasse:
• Two Houses in Congress: The
lower house was based on a
state’s population. In the upper
house, each state had two
senators.
• A system of federalism: Power
would be divided between the
federal government and the states.
Certain powers, such as issuing
money, were forbidden to states.
• Southern states feared larger free
states would dominate Congress
and threaten slavery.
Slavery
proved to
be a
divisive
issue.
• They saw slavery as essential for
their economy and demanded
protections
in the Constitution.
• Delegates from Georgia and South
Carolina threatened to walk out.
Solution:
• A slave counted as three-fifths of a
person in determining representation
in Congress and electoral votes for
presidential elections.
Three-fifths
Compromise
• Importation of slaves could not be
forbidden for twenty years.
• Northern states could not pass laws
to help runaway slaves.
No Bill of Rights
Southerners such as Charles C. Pinckney feared the
inclusion of anti-slavery phrases, such as
“all men are by nature free.”
Some delegates refused to sign in protest:
• George Mason
• Edmund Randolph
• Elbridge Gerry, who called it “flawed”
On September 17th; 42 delegates remained at
the convention.
Alexander Hamilton accepted the Constitution as the only
alternative to “anarchy and convulsion.”
39 delegates signed and the Constitution was
sent to the states for ratification.
Entertainment of George Washington
• http://teachingamericanhistory.org/conventio
n/citytavern/
Paintings
• http://teachingamericanhistory.org/conventio
n/paintings/