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Objectives
• Understand the reasons leaders called for
the Constitutional Convention.
• Summarize the rival plans of government
proposed at the convention.
• Describe the compromises made in order to
reach agreement on the Constitution.
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Terms and People
•
Alexander Hamilton – New York delegate,
favored strong central government
•
James Madison – “Father of the Constitution,”
proposed the Virginia Plan
•
Virginia Plan – Madison’s proposal for a strong
federal government divided power between
executive, legislative, and judicial branches
•
New Jersey Plan – William Paterson’s proposal
for a unicameral legislature gave each state one
vote and retained most features of the Articles of
Confederation
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Terms and People (continued)
•
Great Compromise – Roger Sherman’s proposal,
which included a House based on population and a
Senate with two votes per state
•
federalism – a system that divides power between
state governments and the federal government
•
Three-Fifths Compromise – in return for Southern
support of the Constitution, northerners agreed to
count each slave as 3/5ths of a person for
determining electoral votes and seats in Congress
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What new system of national
government did the delegates agree
upon at the Constitutional Convention
of 1787?
After Shays’ Rebellion, Congress called for a
convention to revise the Articles of
Confederation.
Instead, they created an entirely new
constitution.
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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
In May, delegates from 12 states met in Philadelphia
to propose Amendments to the Articles.
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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.
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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.
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Framers of the Constitution
Alexander
Hamilton
advocated a
powerful
central
government.
Ben
Franklin
contributed
experience,
wisdom,
and prestige.
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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.
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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
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James Madison
proposed his
Virginia Plan:
• A strong federal government
with power to tax, regulate
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
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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
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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.
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Slavery
proved
to be a
divisive
issue.
• Southern states feared
larger free states would
dominate Congress and
threaten slavery.
• They saw slavery as
essential for their economy
and demanded protections
in the Constitution.
• Delegates from Georgia
and South Carolina
threatened to walk out.
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• A slave counted as three-fifths
of a person in determining
representation in Congress
and electoral votes for
presidential elections.
Solution:
Three-fifths
Compromise
• Importation of slaves could
not be forbidden for twenty
years.
• Northern states could not pass
laws to help runaway slaves.
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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”
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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.
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