D. Major Compromises
• Major disagreement arose over the question of
representation in the new government
• Virginia Plan – James Madison
– Introduced by Edmond Randolph
– Favored large states
– Representation would be based on the size of a
state’s population
– Wanted national sovereignty to replace state
sovereignty
• New Jersey Plan – William Patterson
– Favored small states
– Each state was given equal
representation
• Results in bickering, name-calling,
wig-pulling, and almost a full stop of
the convention
E. Great Compromise
• Connecticut Compromise – Roger
Sherman
• Created a two house lawmaking body
called Congress
– Senate – States had equal
representatives
– House of Representative – States
represented according to its population
F. Slavery Compromises
• Commerce and Slave Trade –
Congress was forbidden the power
to tax exports of goods from any
state
• Congress could not interfere with
the slave trade for 20 years (1808)
• Three-Fifths Compromise
• Proposed by James Madison
• Decided the question of how slaves would be
counted for representation
• Counted each slave as 3/5th of a person
• Victory for the South because white men would
be overrepresented there
• “Great as the evil is, a dismemberment of the
union would be worse” – James Madison
th
3/5
of a Man?
G. Approving the Constitution
• Needed 9 states to approve the
Constitution
• Federalist – Supported ratification
of the Constitution
• Favored a strong central government
• Believe the Articles were too weak to
keep the states unified
• Anti-Federalist – Opposed
ratification of the Constitution
• Feared strong central governments
• Believed Constitution would fail to
protect individual rights
• Called for a bill of rights
Primary Source – Alexander
Hamilton – Federalist Papers #84
• “I go further and affirm
that bills of rights, in
the sense and to the
extent in which they are
contended for, are not
only unnecessary in the
proposed Constitution but
would even be dangerous.
. . . For why declare
that things shall not be
done which there is no
power to do?”
H. Constitution is Ratified
•
•
•
•
Federalist Papers – Written in favor of the ratification of the
Constitution
– 85 Essays
Written by Alexander Hamilton (51), James Madison (29), and
John Jay (5)
Papers provide insight into the mindset of two of the most brilliant
thinkers of the day
Regarded as the authoritative documentation of "original intent"
– Reached compromise on adding a bill of rights
– Critiqued the Articles
– Explained how the new government would work
Ratification of the Constitution
Votes of State Ratifying Convents (1878-1790)
State
Date
For
Against
Delaware
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Georgia
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Maryland
South Carolina
New Hampshire
Virginia
New York
North Carolina
Rhode Island
Dec. 1787
Dec. 1787
Dec. 1787
Jan. 1788
Jan. 1788
Feb. 1788
Apr. 1788
May 1788
June 1788
June 1788
July 1788
Nov. 1789
May 1790
30
46
38
26
128
187
63
149
57
89
30
194
34
0
23
0
0
40
168
11
73
47
79
27
77
32
• April 30, 1789 – George
Washington is sworn in as the 1st
President under the new Constitution
• “If we get a government that lasts
for 20 years were will have
accomplished our mission.”
– George Washington
Primary Source – Benjamin
Franklin, 1787
•
“I doubt, too whether any
other convention we can obtain
may be able to make a better
constitution. For when you
assemble a number of men to
have the advantage of their
joint wisdom, you inevitably
assemble with those men all
their prejudices, their
passions, their errors of
opinion, their local interests,
and their selfish views. From
such an assembly can a
perfect production be
expected?”