Creating the Constitution

1. Objective- Students will analyze the
compromises made during the
Constitutional Convention and explain its
achievements.

2. Essential Questions
1. How did the Connecticut
Compromise settle the most divisive
issue among members of the
Const. Convention?
2. What were the key arguments
presented by Federalists and Anti-
Federalists?

3. Legislative Branch- section of the gov’t
that makes laws
Executive Branch- section of the gov’t that
carries out laws
Judicial Branch- section of the gov’t that
interprets laws
Interstate Commerce- trade among the
states
Extralegal- not sanctioned by law
Anarchy- political disorder

4. • Philadelphia, PA
• May 25, 1787
• Delegates from all states except Rhode Island
• 55 delegates present

5. James Madison George Washington Benjamin Franklin
Father of the Constitution Leader of the Convention Most
senior member 81
Virginia Virginia Pennsylvania
First President of USA

6. - 1 vote per state
- Simple majority needed to make decisions
- Delegates decided to keep meetings
secret

7. 1. All favored a limited and representative gov’t
2. Powers of the national gov’t should be divided among
legislative, executive, and judicial branches
3. Limit the power of the states to coin money
4. Strengthen the national gov’t

8. Edmund Randolph and James Madison
Three Principles
1. Strong national legislature w/ two houses based on
population of each state.
2. Strong national executive chosen by the leg.
3. National judiciary appointed by the leg.
* Delegates from smaller states feared that this plan would
give larger states more power*

9. William Patterson
1. A unicameral legislature w/ one vote for each state
2. Congress has the power to impose taxes and regulate
trade
3. Weak executive of more than one person, elected by
congress
4. National judiciary appointed by the executive
*The New Jersey Plan was rejected*

10. Question: should the states be represented on the basis of
population or should they be represented equally?
Solution: A bicameral legislature
- House of Reps- based on population
- Senate- equal (2 per state)
Roger Sherman

11. Problem
• 1/3 of people living in the southern states were
slaves
• Southern states wanted slaves to count toward
population, so they would have more reps in the
House
• Northern states did not have many slaves, so
they did not want them to count toward
population.
Compromise
• Slaves would count for 3/5 of the population

12. • Northern states
feared the southern
states would not
sign the Const. if it
outlawed slavery.
• The issue of slavery
was left out of the
Constitution except
Article IV, Section 2

13. • The Constitution was complete on September 17, 1787
• 9 of 13 states needed to sign it for ratification (to pass).
• On June 21, 1788 New Hampshire became the 9th state to
sign

14. Federalists – supported the constitution
• Support came from the founders and
merchants
Anti-Federalists- opposed the Constitution
• Support came from inland farmers and
laborers

15. 1. Criticized the Constitution for being
drafted in secret: extralegal.
1. Constitution lacked a Bill of Rights:
afraid a strong national gov’t would
take away human rights
Patrick Henry was a
strong opponent of
the Constitution

16. 1. Without a strong national gov’t,
anarchy would triumph
2. A strong national gov’t is
necessary to protect the nation
from enemies and solve internal
problems
Alexander Hamilton James Madison
John Jay
Wrote 80 essays
defending the
Constitution called
The Federalist

17. • In the first session of
Congress, James Madison,
introduced 12 amendments
• Ten were ratified in 1791
known as the Bill of Rights