Creating the Constitution
An assembly of “demi-gods.” – Thomas
Jefferson
Chapter 2, Section 4
Question of the Day
Think of a recent conflict that you have read
or heard about involving the local or National
Government. What did they do or could they
do to resolve the conflict?
In this section, you will learn how
compromises saved the Constitution.
Objectives
• Identify the framers of the Constitution and
discuss how the delegates organized the
proceedings at the Philadelphia Convention.
• Compare and contrast the Virginia Plan and
the New Jersey Plan for a new Constitution
• Summarize the major compromises that the
delegates agreed to make and the effects of
those compromises
• Describe the delegates' reactions to the
Constitution as they completed their work.
Constitutional Convention
•Philadelphia – May 25, 1787
•Purpose: To build a new
government by writing a
Constitution (to replace Articles)
•Need: A stronger national
government composed of a
legislature, executive, and judiciary
•12 of 13 states sent delegates
(representatives) to convention (no
Rhode Island)
Independence Hall
Philadelphia, PA
Framers
• Framers – group of delegates who attended
Convention
• Characteristics of the 55 delegates:
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Many fought in Revolution
39 members of Continental Congress or Confederation
7 state governors
8 signed Declaration of Independence
31 had attended college (rare)
Men of knowledge, experience, wealth, prestige
2 would become Presidents, 1 Vice-President
Average age = 42 (half in 30s)
Framers of the Constitution
Organization & Procedures
• George Washington – elected
President of convention
• One vote for each state
• Majority needed to pass any
proposal
• Rule of secrecy
• James Madison – floor leader
George Washington
• Contributed more to document
than any other delegate
• “Father of the Constitution”
James Madison
“Father of the Constitution”
Virginia Plan
• Three branches of government (executive, judicial,
legislative)
• Bicameral (two house) legislature
• Representation in each house based on state’s population
or amount of $ it gave to support central gov’t
• House of Representatives – popularly elected in each state
• Senate – chosen by House from lists of persons nominated
by State legislatures
Virginia Plan (cont.)
• Congress would choose a “National Executive” and
“National Judiciary”
• Could veto acts by Congress, but Congress could override
• National Executive – authority to enforce National laws
• National Judiciary – made up of one or more supreme
courts and inferior courts
• Purpose: national gov’t with expanded powers AND
power to enforce decisions
•Small states opposed – thought plan was too radical
New Jersey Plan
• Congress – unicameral
• Each state equally represented in Congress
• “Federal Executive”
• more than one President
• Chosen by Congress
• Could be removed at request of majority of States’
governors
• “Federal Judiciary”
• single, supreme court
• Chosen by Executive
The Big Debate
• How should the States be represented in Congress?
• By population or financial contribution? (Virginia Plan)
• Equal for each state? (NJ Plan)
Constitutional Compromises
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The Connecticut Compromise
Delegates agreed on a bicameral Congress, Senate segment
with equal representation for States, and the House with
representation proportionate to the States' populations. "The
Great Compromise"
The Three-Fifths Compromise
The framers decided to count slaves as three-fifths of a
person when determining the population of a State. States
taxed 3/5 per slave to appease north.
The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Congress was forbidden from taxing exported goods, and
was not allowed to act on the slave trade for 20 years. They
were allowed to regulate trade.
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A Bundle of Compromises
• Many differences of opinions (12 different states)
• All Agreed on….
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A new national, federal gov’t had to be created
Representative gov’t
Limited gov’t
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
• Approved by delegates and signed on Sept. 17,
1787
Interesting Facts
•Alexander Hamilton was Killed by Aaron
Burr in a duel in 1804
•Rhode Island boycotted the Convention
•Thomas Jefferson was in Paris as minister
•John Hancock and Patrick Henry not there
•“We the People” was added later
•Jacob Shallus was given 2 days to pen
4,543 words
Section 4 Review
1. The first national government for the United States was
(a) the First Continental Congress.
(b) the Second Continental Congress.
(c) the Articles of Confederation.
(d) the Constitution of the United States.
2. The Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia involved delegates
from each of the following states except
(a) Maryland.
(b) Rhode Island.
(c) New York.
(d) Virginia.
Assignment
Write each of the following on one side of an
index card:
Magna Carta, Petition of Right, Bill of Rights,
Albany Plan of Union, Stamp Act Congress,
First Continental Congress, Declaration of
Independence, Articles of Confederation,
Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan
On the backside, write the date and important
facts about each item. Organize them
chronologically. Who can show the class?
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