Forging a
New Nation
1. Compare this part of the first draft
with the equivalent sections in the
final copy printed on page 146 of
your textbook. Discuss the major
changes that were made in the
document in only about five
weeks time.
Major Differences:
-The Preamble in the final copy is
much more detailed and concrete;
- The concept of “the United States
of America” is assumed rather
than stated;
- The articles in the final copy are
much longer, more explicit, and
more detailed than in the first
draft.
What change in the government
was emphasized when “We the
people of the United States”
replaced the listing of the individual
states in the Preamble?
Why do you think this wording was
so important at the time?
The union of the country and the power of
the federal government are emphasized
over the existence of the individual states
and their governments. It was important to
declare this union in the Constitution to
ensure that the federal government would
always remain stronger than the state
governments.
The United States were
expanding quickly. Let’s look at
the priorities different states had
for their government.
Now compare the wishes of your
state to those of another group.
What do you think is a good
compromise?
Hmm, what is going to happen to all
of that land in the West?!
Under the Land Ordinance of 1784 and
1785. When a territory had as many
people as the smallest state in the
country, it could apply for statehood. While
many states would grow out of territories
there was one issue… slavery
KEY CONFLICTS AT THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
CENTRAL GOV’T vs. STRONG STATES
• Authority derives from the
people
• In a new plan of government,
the central government should
be stronger than the states.
• Authority derives from the
people
• In a new plan of government,
the state governments should
be stronger than the central.
LARGE STATES vs. SMALL STATES
• Congress should be composed
of two houses.
•Number of delegates to both
houses of Congress should be
assigned according to
population.
• Congress of one house
should be preserved.
•Each state should have one
vote.
NORTH vs. SOUTH
• Slaves should not be counted
when deciding the number of
congressional delegates.
• Slaves should be counted
when levying taxes.
• Slaves should be counted
when determining
.congressional representation.
•Slaves should not be counted
when levying taxes.
Constitutional Convention(1787)
What is a “convention”? __________________________
Problem #1: What form of Democracy?
direct democracy
representative democracy
Two Plans for Government Proposed
Virginia Plan
(proposed by James Madison)
New Jersey Plan
(proposed by William Paterson)
Bi-Cameral (TWO HOUSE)
Legislature
Uni-Cameral (SINGLE
HOUSE) Legislature
Number of
representatives based on
the population of the state
Number of
representatives equal
for each state
Solution:
Compromise
Solution:The
TheGreat
Great Compromise
Equal representation:
Two representatives for each state
(New Jersey’s Plan)
Representation based on
population of the state
(Virginia’s Plan)
Senators
Representatives
Problem # 2: Slavery
Different
DifferentViewpoints
Viewpoints on
on Slavery
Slavery
1) Southern states (like VIRGINIA ) wanted the enslaved
population to count toward their total population because
it would give them a _______ population and get them
_________________ in Congress. More representatives
meant more _____________ !!!!
2) However, _____________ states (like Massachusetts)
DID NOT want the enslaved population to count toward
population because then the ____________states would
get more ________________ than the people in the
northern states. Fewer representatives meant
__________ power!!!
Different Viewpoints on Slavery
1) Those southern states (like VIRGINIA ) wanted the enslaved
population to count toward their total population because it
would give them a _larger___ population and get them _more
representatives_ in Congress. More representatives meant
more __power___________!!
2) However, __northern____ states (like Massachusetts) DID
NOT want the enslaved population to count toward population
because then the southern___ states would get more
_____representatives____ than the people in the northern
states. Fewer representatives meant __less_____ power!!
Solution: 3/5 Compromise
The northern states and southern states agreed that
they would count ___3/5__ of the enslaved population
toward the total population.
1
1
1
1
1
50,000 slaves
count as 30,000
HOWEVER, enslaved people were NOT allowed to
VOTE nor did they have any say whatsoever in the
United States government.
Branches of Government