The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention

A. Articles of Confederation

Written in 1776. Started being used in 1781. States kept the power and the central gov. only had a few powers.

Big Problems*States more powerful than central gov. *Central gov. couldn’t tax. *Central gov. couldn’t regulate trade.*No president or national courts.*All 13 to amend 9/13 for major change*States didn’t do as asked.

B. Shays Rebellion• Massachusetts needed to pay back war debts.• To raise money they raised taxes and wanted

to be paid in gold or silver.• Farmers protested and stopped the farm sales.• Daniel Shays led a group to the courthouse in

Springfield to stop farm sales. • A small battle took place and Shay’s small

army left.• This was proof that they new government

wasn’t working.

C. Constitutional Convention1. Key Info– May 1787– Philadelphia, PA– 55 delegates from 12 states

D. Divisions at the Convention

1. Amend or Revise– Some wanted to just amend the articles– Others wanted to change the structure of

government altogether– The convention was called to just fix the articles

not to throw it out– The delegates decided to overstep their

authority

2. Virginia Plan– Virginia brought a plan to the convention– Led by James Madison

– Plan called for:• Two chamber legislature with representation based

on population• States with larger population (like Virginia) would

have more power• Would add an executive and judicial branch to the

national government

I GOT THE POWAH! I don’t.

3. New Jersey Plan– Favored by small states– One chamber legislature– Each state would get an

equal vote in the legislative branch

– Also created executive and judicial branches

– Plan aimed at keeping state governments more powerful than the national government

Put that in your juice box and suck

it Virginia!

E. Compromises

1. The Great Compromise– Called for a two chamber legislature– Senate: Each state gets the same number of

representatives (2)– House of Representatives: number of

representatives from a state is based on population

– Approved July 16, 1787

2. Three-Fifths Compromise– Who counts in population?– Slave states wanted their slaves to be counted

towards representation– States with small slave populations did not want

slaves to be counted

– If counted slave states would have more power in congress

– Convention decides to count each slave as 3/5 of a person for population

– This did not allow enslaved African Americans to vote.

F. Passing the Constitution

1. Convention– Constitution approves the final draft of the

constitution on Sept 17, 17872. Ratification– 9 out of 13 states had to ratify, or approve, the

constitution– Ratification votes had to be done through special

conventions called in each state– Constitution sent to states on September 28, 1787

for approval– In June of 1788 New Hampshire became the 9th state

to ratify it– May 1790, Rhode Island becomes the final state to

ratify the constitution.

New Gov. 3 Branches, each branch can control the other (checks &

balances). One president picked by electoral college. National court system.Ratify Const. had to be approved by 9 of the 13 states.2 groups Federalists were For the Constitution

and the Antifederalists were Against it.Federalists James Madison, Alexander Hamilton,

Washington and Franklin. A series of editorials were written supporting the Const. These were called the

Federalist Papers.

Antifeds Didn’t want a strong central gov. States rights were more important. Sam Adams & Patrick Henry.

Bill of Added even before that states had Rights ratified the Const. Some states (N.Y. & Vir.) wouldn’t ratify without the B of R

Ratified Delaware was the first and Rhode Island was the last of the orig. 13