Debates During the
Constitutional Convention
Philadelphia, 1787
Virginia Plan
• Creation of Executive Branch (1 President)
– Had powers such as commander –chief and chief
executive.
• Creation of a Legislative Branch (Bicameral Legislature)
• The Legislative Branch would be based off of
population….Big states = more power
• Would be given power to tax and make war.
• Creation of a Judicial Branch (Supreme Court) Could
interpret law.
New Jersey Plan
• Small states were upset by the VA plan.
(Why?)
• Agreed with VA plan on just about
everything accept for the Legislative Branch
• Wanted a Legislative Branch that had 1 vote
per state. (Unicameral Legislature)
• Wanted more than one executive
Great Compromise
• VA Influence
– Most the constitution is
the VA plan still in
tact. (Madison is
father of Constitution)
– The House of
Representatives in
Congress is based of
Population
• NJ Influence
– The United States
Senate is based on
equal representation of
the states
– 2 Senators per state.
– California 2 Senators
– Rhode Island 2
Senators
Regulation of Trade
Key Question: Should Congress
have the power to regulate trade?
North
• Economy based
on manufacturing
and trade
• Low slave
population
North
• Commercial
Based economy
• Count on
Congress to
protect trade
interest
• Congress should
have power to
regulate trade
South
• Export economy
(tobacco)
• Feared Congress
would favor trade
over agriculture
• Feared a stop on
the slave trade
• States should
regulate trade
Resolution
• Congress
regulates trade
• Cannot tax
exports
• Cannot
interfere with
slave trade
for…
20 years
Slaves in the population
Key Question: Should slaves be
counted as a part of the
population when determining
representation in Congress?
North
• “Slaves are property”
• Slaves should not be counted
toward pop.
• Slaves should be
taxed
•Lose Key
seats in
Congress
South
• Economy based
on large scale
agriculture
• Large
population of
slaves
South
• “Slaves labor = to freeman’s
labor”
• Slaves should be counted
• Slaves should not be taxed
• Gain important seats in
Congress
Resolution
3/5 Compromise
• 5 slaves=3 people
counted
• Slaves can be taxed
• Slaves receive no
rights
•Census taken every
10 years
Ratification
Key Question: Should the
Constitution that was produced at the
Convention be ratified or approved by
the states?
Federalists
• Attended the
CC
•Hamilton and
Madison
Federalists
• Stressed
weaknesses of
Articles
• Necessity for
strong central
Government
Federalists
• System of Checks
and Balances and
separation of powers
will safeguard rights
• System of
Federalism
• Called for
ratification
Anti-Federalists
• Influential
state
delegates
•Lee and
Henry
Anti-Federalists
• Stressed a revision of
Articles
• Feared an abusive
central government
• Experiences under
English rule
Anti-Federalists
• Insisted on a
written guarantee
of rights
Resolution
• Federalists papers
urged ratification
•Delaware was first
to ratify
Resolution
• Heated debates in
New York and
Virginia
• All states ratified
• Promised a
written guarantee
of rights