A Convention Called for the Purpose of Strengthening the Confederation
The FramersMany had served in the Confederation Congress
A small number were army veterans
Not the same group that had signed the Declaration
Thomas Jefferson was serving as Minister to France
John Adams was serving as Minister to Great Britain
Rhode Island doesn’t send anyone
Sam Adams is ill
Patrick Henry refuses to come saying he smelled a rat in Philadelphia tending toward monarchy
In most cases this is not a great ongoing philosophical or theoretical debate
It does consist of arguments relating to the writings of Locke; and of the philosophies of Montesquieu and Hobbes; Blackstone for law
But this is a practical, nuts and bolts, “how do we run our states and the country and NOT cause another revolution, or a collapse of the government?”
In other words “How do we create a government that provides and protects liberty without threatening liberty?”
Shay’s Rebellion—Army veterans losing their homes/land because of taxes they could not pay
The Virginia Plan
4.Strong national government organized into three branches 2. Two houses in legislature3. Executive chosen by legislature8.Council of revision (executive and some judiciary branch members) with veto power5. Two key features of the plana. National legislature with supreme powers b. One legislative house elected directly by the people
The New Jersey Plan
4.Sought to amend rather than replace Articles 2. Proposed one vote per state7.Protected small states' interests while enhancing power of national government