May 14, 2015
Failure of Articles of Confederation
State governments too powerful:–Power to tax–Power to regulate trade–Power to dictate policy to national
government–Power to raise militia
Need For a Stronger National Government
• Great Britain was waiting for the United States to fail• Large states taking advantage of small
states• Jealousy kept states from working
together• U-N-I-T-E-D STATES was not united
Solution
Government officials realized after Shays’ Rebellion that a change was needed
A convention of representatives from each state were called to Philadelphia in 1787
STATEHOUSE IN PHILADELPHIASITE OF THE CONVENTION
INSIDE OF STATEHOUSE (TODAY)SITE OF THE CONVENTION
There were 74 men asked to come to Philadelphia but only delegates arrived in Philadelphia
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
The average age of a delegate was 44 years old
JONATHAN DAYTON (New Jersey) was the youngest at age 26
BEN FRANKLIN (Pennsylvania) was the oldest at age 81
Most had some experience as politicians in their home states
40 of the delegates had been members of the Continental Congress
34 of the 55 were lawyers
Also included soldiers, planters, educators, ministers, physicians, financiers, and merchants
Most were very wealthy and many owned slaves
All the delegates were white men
None of the delegates were African-Americans, Hispanic, women, poor
Guidelines for the Convention
•Work of the Convention would remain a secret
•White, highly educated, successful men with political experience would be sent
•A majority vote was required on an issue
•George Washington would preside over the Convention
Problems at the Convention
•Small States and Large State cannot agree on representation;
•Northern States and Southern States cannot agree on the issue of slavery;
•Federalist and Anti-Federalist cannot agree on the power of the National Government:
The Publishing and Ratification Signed on
September 17, 1787
Sent to each state to ratify
Became the law of the land on June 21, 1788 with New Hampshire ratifying it as the 9th state out of 13