Characteristics of the Delegates
to the Constitutional Convention
Purpose of Convention
• Delegates were
instructed to revise the
Articles of
Confederation.
• They did NOT have
permission to scrap the
Articles entirely.
• Proceedings were kept
secret until the final
document was drafted.
Independence Hall, Philadelphia
Age
Average Age: 42
Oldest: 81
Youngest: 26
Jonathon Dayton
Ben Franklin
Education
Over Half Graduated from College
33 from Ivy League… 9 from Princeton
George Clymer
James Madison
Educated by Uncle
Princeton
Occupations
Delegates came from a wide variety of backgrounds
Artisans
Ben
Franklin
Planters
Merchants
George
Washington
Alexander
Hamilton
Lawyers
William
Paterson
Government Experience
While many delegates had years of experience in state
and national politics, others were relative novices.
Governors
Judges
Legislators
Novices
John Langdon
John Blair
John Dickinson
James Wilson
New Hampshire
Virginia
Delaware
Pennsylvania
States Represented
Massachusetts
Maryland
New Hampshire
Delaware
Connecticut
Virginia
New York
North Carolina
New Jersey
South Carolina
Pennsylvania
Georgia
*Rhode Island Refused to Attend
Competing Plans for the Constitution
Virginia Plan
•Written by James Madison
New Jersey Plan
•Introduced by William Paterson
•Scrap Articles & create new gov. •Wanted to reform Articles rather
than replace them
•Bicameral Legislature
•Unicameral Legislature based with
•Representation based on
equal representation for each state
population
•Lower house elected by people
& Upper house chosen by lower
Connecticut (Great) Compromise
Bicameral Legislature with representation in House of
Representatives based on population and two representatives per
state in the Senate
Constitutional Compromises
3/5 Compromise
Slaves count as 3/5 of a person for taxation and
representation
Commerce Compromise
Congress cannot tax exports, but it can tax imports.
Congress cannot ban the slave trade until 1808
Democracy vs. Stability
House of Representatives to be directly elected by people,
but President and Senate to be indirectly elected.
Strength of Executive Branch
President elected to 4 year terms with limits on his
power through checks & balances