U.S. Government Chapter 2 – Section 4

Framers

Virginia Plan

New Jersey Plan

Connecticut Compromise

Three-Fifths Compromise

Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise

Section Objectives:1. Identify the Framers of the Constitution and discuss how

the delegates organized the proceedings at the Philadelphia Convention

2. Compare and contrast the VA Plan and the NJ Plan.

3. Summarize the major compromises made at the Constitutional Convention and their effects

4. Identify some sources from which the Framers of the Constitution drew inspiration.

5.2 Understand specific institutions which shaped the principles of the United States Constitution.

United State ConstitutionNational Archives Washington D.C.

12 of 13 states sent delegates to Philadelphia.

Many of the men who attended had fought in the Revolutionary war.

They had been members of the Continental Congress or Congress of the Confederation.

7 had been governors.

Group of delegates who attended the Philadelphia Convention were called framers.

Ben Franklin was the oldest delegate at 81.

The rest of the delegates ages ranged from mid 30s to 40s.

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“Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States”Artist: Howard Chandler Christy

Framers met in Independence Hall (Philadelphia, PA)

Began work in May, 1787

George Washington elected president of the convention

All states had one vote on matters

To protect themselves from outside pressures, the delegates adopted a rule of secrecy

Because of his detailed accounts and the large contribution to the convention, James Madison is considered the father of the Constitution.

On May 30, 1787 the delegates agreed that a new Constitution should be written (rather than revising the AoC)

1. What was the goal of the Framers when the met at Independence Hall?

(b) How did that goal change?

2. The Framers abandoned the Articles of Confederation in favor of an entirely new Constitution. Do you agree with their decision? Why or why not?

Virginia was the first state to offer the first plan for a constitution.

It called for a new government with 3 separate branches: legislative, executive, judicial

Bicameral legislature

Lower house = House of Representatives

Upper house = Senate

Representation in each house was to be based either upon each state’s population (proportional representation) or by amount of money it gave to the central government.

Lower House (House of Representatives) would be popularly elected in each state

Upper House (Senate) would be selected by the House from a list of persons nominated by state legislatures.

Under the VA Plan, Congress would have all powers it had under the Articles, plus: Veto any law in conflict with federal law

Use force to make states obey laws

The Virginia Plan created a new constitution by thoroughly revising the AoC Its goal was to establish a national govt. with

greatly expanded powers

The power to enforce.

Explain the meaning behind this illustration.

Not nearly as thorough of a revision as the Virginia Plan

Retained the unicameral congress of the Confederation

Each state remained equally represented

The N.J. Plan added to Congress’s powers: Power to tax (power of the purse)

Power to regulate trade among states

Also called for an executive of more than one person (plural executive)

Executive chosen by Congress

Could be removed at the request of the majority of states’ governors.

A federal judiciary would be established

One supreme tribunal (court) appointed by an executive

The large states expected to dominate the new government.

How would states be represented in Congress?

Equal

Proportional

Agreed that Congress should be 2 houses.

In the smaller Senate, the states would be represented equally. (Equal representation)

In the House, the representation of each state would be based on its population. (Proportional representation)

It combined basic features of the Virginia and New Jersey plans.

Often called “the Great Compromise”

Agreed that Congress should be 2 houses.In the smaller Senate, the states would be represented equally. (Equal representation)In the House, the representation of each state would be based on its population. (Proportional representation)It combined basic features of the Virginia and New Jersey plans.Sometimes called “the Great Compromise”

Dealt with how to determine the pop. of statesShould slaves be counted in the population of the southern states? delegates of southern states said that slaves should be counted.

Said all free people should be counted and only 3/5 of all other people (“other people” = slaves).

Southerners could count their slaves, but they had to pay for them.

Disappeared with the adoption of the 13th amendment. (abolished slavery)

Using the chart on page 52 and what you know about the 3/5 Compromise, tell why (other than moral reasons) the northern states might have wished to abolish slavery?

Congress had the power to regulate foreign and interstate trade.Southerners feared that Congress would try to pay for the new government out of export goods. Tobacco was the main export good.They also feared that Congress would interfere with the slave trade.Commerce and Slave Trade- congress was forbidden the power to tax the export of goods from any state. It was also forbidden to act on the slave trade for 20 years. (until 1808)

Aside from drawing from their own past experiences, the framers drew from other sources. The Framers were familiar with the works of:

Commentaries on the Laws of England - William Blackstone

The Spirit of the Laws – Baron de Montesquieu

Social Contract – Jean Jacques Rousseau

Two Treatises of Government – John Locke

The Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787

The group of delegates who attended the Philadelphia Convention were called:

A. FramersB. Founding FathersC. Citizens

Who was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention?

A. Thomas JeffersonB. George WashingtonC. Ben Franklin

What plan called for a bicameral congress?

A. New JerseyB. VirginiaC. Commerce and Slave Trade

This compromise agreed that Congress should use both equal and proportional representation.

A. New JerseyB. Three-FifthsC. Connecticut

The compromise stated that Congress was forbidden the power to tax the export of goods from any state. It was also forbidden to act on the slave trade.

A. Commerce and Slave TradeB. Three-Fifths CompromiseC. Congressional Restrictions

Who is considered “The Father of the Constitution”?

A. Thomas JeffersonB. Benjamin FranklinC. James Madison

b) Why is this person considered the be the Father of the Constitution?

According to the Three-Fifths Compromise, how many citizens to be counted toward a state’s population would 20 slaves count?