Creating and Ratifying the
Constitution
A key to success!
• The Constitution is able to adapt to the
changing times!
• The Constitution is the highest authority in
the nation!
The Virginia Plan
•Mostly designed by Madison
Described a government with a president,
courts, and a two house congress
•Representation in Congress would be
based on the state’s population
The New Jersey Plan
• Called for a government similar to
the Articles of Confederation
• One House of Congress with equal
representation to all states
• Venn Diagram to compare and
contrast the two plans.
The Great Compromise
• Suggested by the Connecticut
delegates
• Two houses of Congress
• One house- equal representation, the
other- representation based on
population
3/5ths Compromise
• Compromise on slavery for representation and
taxation
• Southern states wanted slaves counted as part of
the states population
• Northern states opposed the idea
• Compromised to count the slaves as 3/5ths of
other persons
The Commerce and Slave Trade
Compromise
• Northern states felt that Congress should regulate
trade with other countries
• Southern states feared that Congress would use the
power to tax exports and interfere with the slave
trade (They were split)
• Compromise: Congress would regulate trade, but
could not interfere with the slave trade for 20 years
nor tax exports (Slavery was put off)
• Exports- goods sold to other countries
The Electoral College
• Compromise on the selection process of the
President
• Some delegates thought Congress should choose
the President/ others thought elected by the
people
• Each state legislature would choose a number of
electors (today: electors are elected)
• The electors select the President & the Vice
President
• Larger states have more influence
• The delegates sign the
Constitution on September 17,
1787
Discussion
• Do you agree with the Electoral College
electing the President/Vice President?
Why?
Activity
• You will work on a worksheet called “The Compromise”.
Ratification of the
Constitution
• Constitution would become law
when ratified by 9 of the 13 states
Anti-Federalists
• Openly opposed the Constitution
• Felt too much power was given to the
federal government
• Lacked a Bill of Rights: no provision
for basic liberties (freedom of speech)
Federalists
• Supported the Constitution
• Many helped write the Constitution
• Argued that a nation would not survive
with out a strong central government
• Argument supported by the failure of
the Articles of Confederation
• Their objective was to increase public
support for the Constitution
• “The Federalists” papers written by
Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John
Jay, defended the Constitution
• Agreed with the Anti-Federalists that a Bill
of Rights was needed
-promised that if Constitution was
ratified, Bill of Rights would be added
This is where the 1st Political Parties were
formed.
Ratification
• Promise by the Federalists
encouraged New Hampshire, the 9th
state, to ratify in June, 1788
• Constitution becomes law
• In time, all states ratify, with Rhode
Island being the last in 1790
The Federalist #10
• Authored by James Madison
• This essay, the first of Madison's contributions to the series,
was a rather long development of the theme that a wellconstructed union would break and control the violence of
faction, a "dangerous vice" in popular governments.
• He had two ways to fix this problem:
• Get rid of factions (why wouldn’t this work?)
• Control the factions (Would this be hard to do?)
• But the main solution was to:
• Have as many factions a possible so that no faction would be big
enough to overthrow the government
Activity
• You will be given the Federalist Papers #10 to read and answer
the following questions:
• What is the content about?
• What is the overall message?
• What is being talked about?
• Read the highlighted sections and answer the following:
•
•
•
•
•
What does it mean?
Why was the word party used?
How does the word party connect with the word factions?
What information has been added here that connects with rivals?
How does this document connect with the principles of the
American government?
Activity continued….
• Read the 2nd highlighted section and answer the questions:
• Does that make sense?
• Is this explained clearly? Why or why not?
• What do we need to figure out or find out?