2. 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

3. 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

4. Solution

5. Government officials
realized after Shays’
Rebellion that a change
was needed
A convention of
representatives from
each state were called to
Philadelphia in 1787

7. STATEHOUSE IN PHILADELPHIA
SITE OF THE CONVENTION

9. There were 74
men asked to
come to
Philadelphia
but only
delegates
arrived in
Philadelphia

10. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

11. The average age of a
delegate was 44 years
old

12. BEN FRANKLIN
(Pennsylvania)
was the oldest
at age 81
JONATHAN DAYTON
(New Jersey) was the
youngest at age 26

13. Most had some
experience as
politicians in their home
states

14. 40 of the delegates had
been members of the
Continental Congress

15. 34 of the 55 were lawyers
Also included soldiers,
planters, educators,
ministers, physicians,
financiers, and merchants

16. Most were very wealthy
and many owned slaves

17. All the delegates were
white men

18. None of the delegates
were AfricanAmericans, Hispanic,
women, poor

19. 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

20. 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

21. The Publishing and
 Signed on Ratification
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