Important Compromises at the Constitutional Convention
Directions: Read about the following problems in creating a constitution for the United States. Use the resources provided and identify the
problem, the various point of views on the issue, and finally the solution to the issue.
Resources- Call to Freedom Textbook, https://www.thoughtco.com/compromises-of-the-constitutional-convention-105428
Problem
REPRESENTATION
The representatives are the people who will
go to the nation's capital to make decisions
for the whole country. The small states want
every state to have the same number of
representatives in the Congress. The big
states want the number of representatives to
be based on the number of people in the
state. A compromise must be reached.
COUNTING ENSLAVED PEOPLE
Several of the southern states will not agree to
the new Constitution unless they can continue
to maintain slavery in the South. The Southern
states want slaves counted in the population of
their states for representation purposes. Most
northern states are opposed to slavery and do
not favor counting slaves as part of the
population unless they also count for tax
purposes. The North wants and needs the
southern states' support of the Constitution. A
compromise must be reached.
1st Point of View
2nd Point of View
Small States (like
Rhode Island)
Big States (like
Virginia)
North:
South:
Compromise
In YOUR opinion,
did this compromise
create a stronger
nation? EXPLAIN.
Problem
1st Point of View
THE SLAVE TRADE:
North:
The northern and southern states were divided
over bringing more issues in slaves into the
United States from other countries There is a
strong division on this issue between the northern
and southern states. Many delegates from the
North are opposed to slavery and especially to
bringing in more slaves from other countries. The
southern states consider slavery and the slave
trade as essential to their economy. Several of the
southern states will not agree to the new
Constitution unless they continue to have the right
to own slaves and to get them from other
countries. A compromise must be reached
POWER OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
You are on the committee to decide what the
powers of the executive branch should be in the
new government and how the executive should be
selected. Under the Articles of Confederation
there was no executive branch and many at the
Constitutional Convention are afraid of ending up
with a powerful King like England. Some
delegates want a strong national government with
a powerful executive branch. How much power
should the executive branch have in the new
government? How should the executive be
selected? A compromise must be reached
2nd Point of View
South:
Compromise
In YOUR opinion,
did this compromise
create a stronger
nation? EXPLAIN.