Aim: How did our founding fathers solve the problems created by the Articles of Confederation? Do Now: What are two ways that you would fix the Articles of Confederation?
Nov 14, 2014
Aim: How did our founding fathers solve the problems created by the Articles of
Confederation?
Do Now: What are two ways that you would fix the Articles of Confederation?
Constitutional Convention
• Summer of 1787• 55 delegates meet in Philadelphia• Original goal was to fix the Articles of Confederation• They realized that the Articles of Confederation could not
be fixed. A new government was needed
New Jersey Plan vs. Virginia Plan
• Major disagreements occurred during the writing of the Constitution
• The biggest disagreement occurred over representation in Congress
New Jersey PlanVirginia Plan
1. Favored by Small States
2. One house of
Congress
3. Each state would have equal representation
4. Similar to the Articles of Confederation
1. Favored by Large States
2. Two houses of Congress
3. Representation based on population
4. Created a stronger national government
1. Plans to change the Articles of Confederation
2. Congress could regulate trade and collect taxes
3. How to decide on representation in Congress
The Great Compromise
• creates a two house (bicameral) legislature.
• The Senate is based on the New Jersey Plan. Each state has 2 senators.
• The House of Representatives is based on the Virginia Plan. Each state’s representation is based on population.
Great Compromise creates a bicameral (2 houses) legislative branch
Bicameral = 2 Houses
Senate House of Representatives
Aim: How did the Constitution deal with the issue of slavery?
Slavery and the Constitution
Should slaves be counted when determining how many representatives a state will have?
Solution
Problem 1 Problem 2
Should the Constitution ban the slave trade?
Solution
Slavery and the Constitution
Should slaves be counted when determining how many representatives a state will have?
SolutionThree-Fifths Compromise.
Five slaves would be equal to only three white people when counting them for representation.
Problem 1 Problem 2
Should the Constitution ban the slave trade?
Solution Congress could not ban the slave trade for another 20 years.
Slavery and the Constitution
Should slaves be counted when determining how many representatives a state will have?
North vs. the South
Solution
Three-Fifths Compromise.
Five slaves would be equal to only three white people when counting them for representation.
Problem 1
Slavery and the ConstitutionProblem 2
Should the Constitution ban the slave trade?
Solution
Congress could not ban the slave trade for another 20 years.
The North gave into many of the demands of the Southern States because they needed these states to accept the Constitution.
Constitution Signed on 9/17/1787
• 39 delegates signed• Who were the
signers?
• 9 of 13 states had to ratify to make it official
Who Didn’t Sign?• Connecticut - Oliver Ellsworth (left early) • Georgia - William Houstoun (left early), William Pierce (left early) • Maryland - Luther Martin (left in protest), John Mercer (left in protest) • Massachusetts - Elbridge Gerry (refused to sign), Caleb Strong (left
early) • New Jersey - William Houston (left early) • New York - John Lansing (left in protest), Robert Yates (left in protest) • North Carolina - William Davie (left early), Alexander Martin (left early) • Rhode Island - sent no delegates • Virginia - George Mason (refused to sign), James McClurg (left early),
Edmund Randolph (refused to sign), George Wythe (left early)