A Nation Built on Compromise: The Constitutional Convention Who Were The Delegates? The Issues Compromises.

A Nation Built on A Nation Built on Compromise: The Compromise: The

Constitutional ConventionConstitutional Convention

Who Were The Delegates?Who Were The Delegates?

The IssuesThe Issues

CompromisesCompromises

The Constitutional The Constitutional Convention, 1787Convention, 1787

55 delegates attended 55 delegates attended but on a typical day but on a typical day 35 were present35 were present

29 held college 29 held college degreesdegrees

34 were lawyers34 were lawyers

24 served in the 24 served in the Continental CongressContinental Congress

21 were military 21 were military officers of the officers of the American RevolutionAmerican Revolution Washington was elected president of the

convention based on his integrity and past service to the colonies.

The Constitutional The Constitutional Convention, 1787Convention, 1787

Most delegates Most delegates considered considered themselves as themselves as merchants or slave merchants or slave ownersowners

Small farmers, free Small farmers, free African-Americans, African-Americans, women, or Native women, or Native Americans are not Americans are not presentpresent

What does this painting show about the delegates at the convention?

The Virginia Plan The Virginia Plan Proposed a three branch governmentProposed a three branch government– The legislature branch would write the laws.The legislature branch would write the laws.– The executive branch would enforce the The executive branch would enforce the

laws.laws.– The judicial branch would interpret the The judicial branch would interpret the

laws.laws.

The legislative branch would have a bicameral legislatureThe legislative branch would have a bicameral legislature and representatives would be based on a and representatives would be based on a states population.states population.

The legislature would appoint the executive The legislature would appoint the executive and the judiciary. It would also settle disputes and the judiciary. It would also settle disputes between states.between states.

The New Jersey Plan (small The New Jersey Plan (small states)states)

The legislature would have a The legislature would have a unicameral house to guard against unicameral house to guard against large states having to much power.large states having to much power.

Each state would have one vote.Each state would have one vote.

This plan sought to stay as close to This plan sought to stay as close to the Articles of Confederation as the Articles of Confederation as possible.possible.

What were they thinking?What were they thinking?Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton proposes that proposes that members of the members of the executive branch executive branch serve for lifeserve for life

Luther Martin Luther Martin suggested that states suggested that states should be even more should be even more powerful than the powerful than the national governmentnational government

The Architects of The Architects of CompromiseCompromise

Edmund Randolph proposed the Virginia Plan.

Roger Sherman proposed the Great Compromise.

The Great Compromise The Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan)(Connecticut Plan)

The legislature would be bicameral.The legislature would be bicameral.– The Senate would give each state equal The Senate would give each state equal

representation.representation.– The House of Representatives would be The House of Representatives would be

based on state populations.based on state populations.

Terms of office would be outlined.Terms of office would be outlined.

An electoral college of all An electoral college of all representatives and senators would representatives and senators would choose the president.choose the president.

Three-Fifths CompromiseThree-Fifths Compromise

Slaves would be Slaves would be counted toward counted toward political representation political representation and would also be and would also be counted when states counted when states were taxed.were taxed.

The slave trade was to The slave trade was to be allowed for the next be allowed for the next 20 years20 years

The road to debateThe road to debate

On September 17, 1787 39 delegates On September 17, 1787 39 delegates sign the U.S. Constitutionsign the U.S. Constitution

It had been done in secret and was a It had been done in secret and was a new written documentnew written document

Only white property owning males Only white property owning males would have a say in the ratification of would have a say in the ratification of the Constitution.the Constitution.