American Government
Chapter 2: Section 4
Creating the Constitution
Name________________________
DIRECTIONS: As you read section 4 – Creating the Constitution, fill in the information
requested and answer the questions asked.
Define Framers
What was the average age of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention?
Who was the oldest and how old was he?
Who did not attend the Philadelphia Convention? (7)
Who was elected President of the Constitutional Convention?
What was the original purpose of the Philadelphia Convention?
On May 30th the delegates made a “momentous decision.” What was that decision?
What did the Virginia Plan call for?
What were the three branches of government? (Suggested by James Madison)
1.
2.
3.
The legislature – Congress-would be unicameral or bicameral?
Representation in both houses was based on what?


Under the Virginia Plan, Congress would choose what two branches of government?


What states did not like the Virginia Plan?
The New Jersey Plan retained what kind of Congress? Bicameral or unicameral
How was each state represented in Congress?
How did the New Jersey Plan differ from the Virginia Plan?
COMPROMISES
1. Connecticut Compromise suggested Congress should be composed of how many houses?
How were the states represented in the Senate?
How were the states represented in the House of Representative?
What was another name for the Connecticut Compromise?
2. The Three-Fifths Compromise was about counting who?
What did the three-fifths Compromise say?
Is it still in the Constitution?
3. What was the Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise?
The Constitution drafted in Philadelphia was often called what?
On what date did the Constitutional Convention approve the new Constitution?
Test your knowledge
Match the terms in Column I with the descriptions in Column II. Write the correct letter in each
blank.
Column I
Column II
_____1. Virginia Plan
a. A plan to satisfy Southern fears that the
Federal Government might be funded
through export duties
_____2. New Jersey Plan
b. Madison’s plan for a National Government
strong central government
_____3. Connecticut Compromise
c. A combination of the Virginia Plan and NJ
plans
_____4. Three-Fifths Compromise
d. A plan to satisfy Southerners’ desire to
keep their slaves and count them for
population numbers.
_____5. Commerce and Slave Trade
Compromise
e. Paterson’s plan for a National Government
that greatly resembled the Articles of
Confederation.
Main Ideas
Directions: Write the correct answer in the blank provided.
_____6. To whom did the Three-Fifths Compromise refer?
a. enslaved people
b. Native Americans
c. Women
_____7. All of the following attended the Constitutional Convention EXCEPT:
a. Alexander Hamilton
b. James Madison
c. Patrick Henry
_____8. What was the original purpose of the Constitutional Convention?
a. Revise the Articles of Confederation
b. Overthrow the government and write a new constitution
c. Discuss the problems with King George III
_____9. Which compromise was called the “Great Compromise”?
a. Three-Fifths Compromise
b. Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
c. Connecticut Compromise