Compromises and Ratification of Constitution

Compromises and Ratification of Constitution

Vocabulary• Constitution: a written document that contains the

rules (laws and rights) of a political or social organization.

• Ratify: approve• National/Federal/Central Government: the head

government of the land.• Federalists: supported Constitution• Anti-Federalists: opposed Constitution• Commerce: trade• Compromise: when both sides of a argument come

together and both give a little to meet both sides needs.

Major Differences between Articles of Confederation and Constitution

How many representatives does each state get in Congress?

The Great Compromise

• Also call Connecticut Compromise• Big and Small states both win!• Congress = 2 houses; Senate and House of

Representatives.• Senate = equal # of representatives per state.• House = representatives based on population.

Should the Congress have power to control trade?

Result:

• Congress CAN control trade, but slave trade will continue (for about 20 more years).

• Called Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise.

Should slaves be counted in the population for representation

purposes?

3/5 Compromise

• Each slave counted as 3/5 of a free citizen (every 5 slaves counted as 3 free people).

How should the President of the United States be chosen?

• Electoral College: voters elect representatives (electors) to elect the president (indirect democracy).

Anti-Federalists• Openly opposed the Constitution. • Too much power to national government and took

too much away from the states. • Thought Constitution should've been developed in

open, public meeting instead of secrecy.• The Executive Branch had too much power. • Allowed for a peacetime army. • Lacked a bill of rights (failed to provide for certain

basic liberties, such as freedom of speech or religion).

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

Federalist Papers

• 85 essays wrote by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay that supported a strong central government.

One Nation

• Rhode Island was last to ratify it in 1790.• The 13 independent states were now one

nation, the United States of America.