Convention and Compromise: the weaknesses of government under the Articles …cmissbursleyteach.weebly.com/uploads/2/2/5/0/225015… ·  · 2014-10-02the weaknesses of government

Convention and Compromise: Chapter 3, Section 2

A constitution reflects the values and goals of a society that creat it. The new Constitution corrected the weaknesses of government under the Articles of

Confederation.

Trouble Under the Articles● Main idea: The government

under the Articles of Confederation faced many problems.○ Confederation wasn’t working, and

everyone knew it…○ Delegates from 12 states (not RI)

gathered in PA to address problem of revising the Articles of Confederation

Economic Depression● Many believed Confederation was

too weak to deal with challenges nation faced following war○ Nation in depression: economy,

unemployment, Southern plantation damage, decrease in overseas trade, currency shortage, debts to pay

○ Each state printed its own money, different in value and often not accepted out of state

○ Farmers suffered, unable to sell goods and pay state taxes■ Officials seized farmers’ lands to pay war debts

● Many thrown in jail → protest → revolt

Shay’s Rebellion● Farmer resentment grew in MA

○ Viewed new government as a form of tyranny○ Wanted government to make paper money and debt relief

policies (to avoid jail/land seizing)● Convention of delegates from 50 MA towns met,

drew up a petition that protested taxes○ Reply? “Hey rebels, your meeting is illegal”

● Angry farmers, led by Daniel Shay, lashed out and force closed courts to prevent judges from confiscating lands

● Shay led more than 1,000 farmers toward the federal arsenal for ammunition○ State militia ordered that they stop, but they didn’t, resulting

in four dead rebel farmers○ Shay/followers scattered, ending rebellion

● Shay’s rebellion frightened national leaders○ Worried government couldn’t

control violent outbursts○ Washington and Jefferson

differed in opinion...

The Issue of Slavery● War brought attention to contradiction between

ideas of freedom and slavery○ States accepted institution (plantations were built on

slavery), many feared economy wouldn’t survive without ○ Not as popular as a source of labor in the North, still legal

and existed, but many worked to end institution of slavery■ Quakers organized first American antislavery society■ PA soon passed law for gradual freeing of enslaved

(then CT, RI, NY, NJ), didn’t stop discrimination though● Barred from public places, few had right to vote, few attended school

(separate from white schools)

● Free African Americans established their own institutions to seek opportunity○ churches, schools, mutual-aid societies

● Following war, slaveholders began freeing those enslaved○ VA passed law encouraging manumission

● Abolition of slavery in North divided country○ Not the best timing, as they were meeting to

change/improve Articles○ Slavery debate would continue for years

A Call for Change● 13 states not yet considered a nation, too divided

○ Leaders believed a strong national government was solution, and demanded reform■ James Madison, Alexander Hamilton proposed a

convention in PA to discuss issues■ Washington wasn’t thrilled, but after Shay’s Rebellion,

he changed his mind

1. Why did Madison and Hamilton call for a convention in 1787?2. What did Shay and his followers hope to gain by seizing the

courts? And why did this rebellion frighten so many Americans?

The Constitutional Convention● Main idea: National leaders worked to produce a new

constitution for the U.S.○ PA convention began in May, included 55 delegates of all

states, occupations, ages, education■ No Native Americans, African Americans, women

○ Washington and Franklin looked to/trusted to lead■ PA - Supported by James Wilson (reader of speeches)

and Gouverneur Morris (final draft of Constitution)■ John Adams and Jefferson didn’t make it (Europe)■ VA - Madison (father of constitution/author of basic plan

adopted by Convention) and Edmund Randolph

Organization

● Convention began by unanimously deciding that Washington would preside over meeting

● Each state would get one vote, and majority vote would rule

● Sessions kept in secret, to allow for delegates to speak freely

The Virginia Plan● With rules established, Randolph opened with

proposition that delegates create a strong national government (the Virginia Plan by James Madison)○ Called for two-house legislature, chief executive (chosen by

legislature), and a court system■ Lower house would be elected by people■ Upper house chosen by lower house■ Number of delegated would be proportional to

population of state (giving VA the advantage)● Small states objected, preferring Confederation (equal representation)● Alternative plan to revise Articles presented by William Paterson (NJ)

The New Jersey Plan

● New Jersey Plan kept Confederation’s one house legislature, with one vote per state

● Congress would be able to set taxes and regulate trade (unlike Articles)

● Congress could elect a weak executive branch● Overall, make small changes to existing plan, but

ensure small states maintained equality

1. Why did some delegates criticize the Virginia Plan?

Compromise Wins Out● Main idea: The Constitutional Convention broke

deadlock over form new government would take. ○ Delegates had to decide between fixing the Articles or

starting a whole new national government■ Voted to work toward new government based on ideas of

Virginia Plan, but small states weren’t happy about it■ Delegates struggled with difficult questions

● How would Congress be elected?● How would representation be determined in upper/lower

houses?● Would enslaved people be included in population census

● Under leadership of Franklin, a “grand committee” was appointed to resolve disagreements○ Roger Sherman suggested The Great Compromise: a

two-house legislature (House/lower/based on population and Senate/upper/2 each)

○ Another compromise was reached about how to count enslaved people in population (South wanted them included as they made up good portion of population)

Objections are Raised● Northern states objected to idea

of including slaves in population as they were considered property and didn’t have most legal rights○ Counted for taxation but not representation○ Neither North/South considered giving voting rights

● Three-Fifths Compromise: each enslaved person would count at ⅗ of a person for both taxation/representation (every 5 slaves would count as 3 free people)

Slave Trade

● North/South also disagreed over slavery○ North had banned slave trade within borders and wanted

slavery prohibited throughout nation○ South considered slavery/trade essential to life/economy

■ As to not “rock the boat”, North agreed not to interfere with slave trade in South until 1808 (20ish years)

Approving the Constitution● George Mason proposed idea that bill of rights be

included in Constitution○ Without it, national government may become too powerful○ Others believed that plan was fine without it, as powers were

clearly and carefully defined/separated● Committees finished work on Constitution in September

1787, and gathered to sign document○ 3 refused to sign without a bill of rights○ Approved draft sent to states for consideration○ Amendments required unanimous approval, and delegates

agreed to change that requirement■ When 9/13 agreed, new government would be approved

1. Who refused to sign the Constitution? Why?2. What was the cause of Shay’s rebellion? What were some of

the effects?3. According to the Virginia Plan, who elected the members of the

lower house? The upper house?4. How did the new Constitution reflect the values of the men who

wrote it?5. How did the approval process for adopting the Constitution

differ from the process under the Articles of Confederatio? Why was it important?

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