In your experience, what is typically
the best approach to use when faced
with a disagreement?
0%
C
C. Accept the decisions of the
other side without argument
B
B. Attempt to reach
a compromise
A. A
B.
B
0%
0%
C. C
A
A. Hold your ground no
matter what
Chapter 7 A More Perfect
Union (1777-1790)
Section 2 Convention and
Compromise
Why is the Constitution a document
of compromises?
Need For A Change
• Many felt that the Articles of
Confederation needed
changed
• The Articles were too weak to
deal with the nation’s
problems
• After the war the US had a
depression (economic
activity slows and
unemployment increases)
• The money the government
did have went to paying
foreign debts, resulting in
currency shortage
American Farmers
• Suffered because they
couldn’t sell their goods
• In Massachusetts, paper
money was almost useless
• Lawmakers outlawed
paper money in 1781 and
forced people to pay debts
and taxes in gold and silver
money
• This hurt farmers, they
didn’t bring in gold or silver
money
• Farmers were unable to
pay debts and lost their
land
• Many went to prison
The Farmers Take Action
• 1786- angry farmers fought
back
• Led by Daniel Shays, they
forced courts in
Massachusetts to close so
they could not take farmers
land
• January 1787- Shays led
more than 1000 men toward
the federal arsenal in
Springfield, Massachusetts
• Looking for guns and
ammunition
• The state militia ordered the
advancing farmers to stop and
then fired over their heads
• The farmers did not stop
Shays’ Rebellion
• The militia fired again, killing 4
farmers
• Shays his followers scattered
and the uprising was over
• Shays’ Rebellion frightened
many Americans
• They worried that the
government could not control
unrest and prevent violence
• George Washington
wondered whether “mankind,
when left to themselves, are
unfit for their own
government”
• Thomas Jefferson- “A little
rebellion, now and then, is a
good thing”
The Issue of Slavery
• The Revolutionary War brought
attention to the contradiction
between the battle for American
liberty and the practice of
slavery
• 11 states (all except SC and
Georgia) outlawed or heavily
taxed the importation of
enslaved people
• In the North slavery was ending
• Free African Americans still
faced discrimination
• States south of Pennsylvania
clung to the institution of slavery
• Southerners feared that their
economy could not survive
without it
More of The Issue of Slavery
• Many slaveholders
started freeing slaves
after the war
• Virginia passed a law
that encouraged
manumission (freeing
of individual enslaved
persons)
• The slavery issue
divided the American
people
Reform of the Articles of Confederation
• Two Americans that were
active in the movement for a
change were James Madison
and Alexander Hamilton
• September 1787- Hamilton
called for a convention
(meeting) in Philadelphia to
discuss trade issues
• Also discuss changes that
need to be made for the Union
• Washington agreed to come
after hearing of Shays’
Rebellion
• Others heard Washington was
coming and saw the
significance
The Philadelphia Meeting
• Began in May
1787
• One of the
hottest summers
on record
• 55 delegates
• 3 under 30 and
one (Ben
Franklin) was
over 80
• Many were well
educated
More of the Philadelphia Meeting
• Many people did work
on the Constitution
• Gouverneur Morris
wrote the final draft of
the Constitution
• James Madison took
notes and is called the
“Father of the
Constitution”
• Madison was the author
of the basic plan of
government the
Convention adopted
Organization
• Washington was
chosen to
preside over the
meetings
• Each state
would have one
vote on all
questions
• Sessions were
not open to the
public
Who presided over the meetings at
the Constitutional Convention?
A. John Hancock
B. James Madison
C. George Washington
D. Benjamin Franklin
0%
A
A.
B.
C.
0%
D.
B
A
B
C
0%
D
C
0%
D
The Virginia Plan
• Edmund Randolph proposed the
creation of a strong national
government
• Randolph presented the
Virginia Plan, which was largely
the work of James Madison
• Called for a 2 house (bicameral)
legislature
• A chief executive chosen by the
legislature
• And a court system
• The members of the lower
house of the legislature would
be chosen by the people
• Members of the upper house
would be chosen by the lower
house
More of the Virginia Pan
• In both houses the number
of representatives would be
proportional to the
population of each state
• Virginia would have many
more delegates the smaller
states
• Delegates from Delaware,
New Jersey, and other
smaller states objected
• They wanted all states
represented equally
• June 15th, William Paterson
of New Jersey presented an
alternative plan
The New Jersey Plan
• 1 house legislature, one
vote for each state
• Congress could set taxes
and regulate trade
• Congress would elect a
weak executive branch
consisting of more than
one person
• His plan was designed to
amend (improve) the
Articles
The Great Compromise
• A committee was appointed
to settle the dispute between
large and small states
• Roger Sherman came up
with what is called the Great
Compromise
• Sherman proposed a 2
house (bicameral) legislature
• Lower House (House of
Representatives) would be
based on population
• Upper House (Senate)
would give each state two
members
According to the Great Compromise, in
which house would each state be
represented by two members?
A. The House of
Representatives
A. A
B. B
B. The Senate
0%
A
0%
B
The Three-Fifths Compromise
• Southern states wanted
enslaved people counted in
their population
• They wanted more members
in the House of
Representatives
• Northerners objected because
enslaved people were legally
considered property
• The committees solution is
known as the Three-Fifths
Compromise
• Each enslaved person was
counted as 3/5 of a free
person for both taxation and
representation
Slave Trade
• Northern states
wanted to ban the
slave trade nation
wide
• Southern states
objected
• The solution was
that Congress
could not interfere
with the slave trade
until 1808
Bill of Rights
• George Mason
proposed a Bill of
Rights
• Some worried without
a Bill of Rights the
new nation might
abuse its power
• Most felt that the
Constitution provided
adequate protection of
individual rights
• Mason’s proposal was
defeated
Approving the Constitution
• Finished on September 17,
1787 delegates gathered to
sign the document
• Three refused to signElbridge Gerry (Mass.),
Edmund Randolph (VA.),
and George Mason (GA.)
• Gerry and Mason would
not sign without a Bill of
Rights
• The approved draft of the
Constitution was sent to
the states for consideration
• The approval process
required 9 of the 13 states
to be approved
Why is the Constitution a document of
compromises?
Delegates had to compromise on issues such
as power distribution, representation, and
slavery
Chapter 7 Section 2 Quiz
Shays's Rebellion forced courts to
close so judges could not take away
tax money.
farmers' land.
smuggled goods.
criminals' homes.
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The Revolutionary War brought into focus
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A. need to raise
25% 25% 25% 25%
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B. right to rebellion.
C. practice of
slavery.
D. right for women to
vote.
Constitutional Convention delegates voted
for a national government based on the
New Jersey Plan.
Virginia Plan.
New York Plan.
Northwest
Territory Plan.
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B.
C.
D.
Convention delegates broke the deadlock
between large and small states when they
approved
A. the Two-Thirds
Compromise.
B. Washington's
Compromise.
C. the Three-Fifths
Compromise.
D. the Great
Compromise.
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Convention delegates agreed that the
Constitution must be approved by how many
states?
A. 3 states
25% 25% 25% 25%
B. all states
C. 12 states
D. 9 states
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