CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

Staple Book

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION Philadelphia – May, 1787 55 delegates from 12 states

Not Rhode Island Washington elected president Franklin, Madison, Hamilton also present Madison: Father of the Constitution

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION September 17, 1787:

Constitution was signed by delegates 3 delegates refused to sign:

Randolph and Mason from VAElbridge Gerry from Mass.

VIRGINIA PLAN Edmund Randolph and James

Madison created this plan Called for a strong central

government 3 branches:

Legislative: Pass laws

Executive Carry out the laws

Judicial System of courts (enforce laws)

VIRGINIA PLAN Legislative Branch:

2 houses, both had representation determined by population

Both houses, the larger states had more representation

NEW JERSEY PLAN William Paterson from New Jersey

created this plan 3 branches:

Legislative, Executive, Judicial Legislative Branch:

One house, all states have equal representation

One vote per state, no matter how big

THE GREAT COMPROMISE Roger Sherman of Connecticut created

this plan Compromise:

A settlement that each side gives up some of its demands in order to reach an agreement

2 House Legislature:House of Representatives:

Lower house Elected by popular vote Representation determined by population Appealed to larger states

THE GREAT COMPROMISESenate:

Upper house Chosen by state legislature Each state (no matter what size) gets 2

representatives Appealed to smaller states

Approved July 1787

THE 3/5THS COMPROMISE Southerners wanted slaves counted in

the population to determine representation in the House They would have a larger population, meaning

more representatives, if the slaves were counted Northerners didn’t want this:

Slaves don’t vote, therefore should not be represented by Congress

Compromise:3/5ths of the slaves in any state will be

counted in the population for Representation 3,000 of 5,000

THE SLAVE TRADE COMPROMISE Northern states wanted the slave trade to

be banned in the whole nation By 1787, some northern states had banned the

slave trade Southern states did not:

They said it would ruin their economy Compromise:

Congress count not outlaw slave trade for at least 20 years (1807) Could regulate trade as they wished after that

Northerners agreed that no state could stop a slave from being returned to any owner that claimed the slave