Creating A Lasting Government

Creating A Lasting Government

The Constitutional Convention-A Great Debate

Discuss the debate among delegates over the kind of national government that was needed.

Understand the compromises made as the national government was created.

Describe the powers granted to the executive and judicial branches.

Key Concepts

bicameralunicameral

James MadisonThe Virginia Plan

The New Jersey Planabolish

compromiseThe Great Compromise

Three-Fifths Compromise

Key terms

Agreement and Disagreement Getting Organized Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan The Great Compromise Sharing Power The Slave Trade Reaching Compromise Executive and Judicial Branches The Signing of the Constitution

The Constitutional Convention – A Great Debate

As with any debate there are agreements and disagreements.

What most delegates agreed on:◦ A need for a national government, not just an alliance of

states.◦ A need to guard against abuse of power (Montesquieu’s

principle of separation of powers) ◦ A need for divided power between the states and the national

government What delegates sharply disagreed on:

◦ How much power the national government should be given◦ The number of representatives each state should have in a

national government◦ Slavery – How would slaves be counted? Would the slave

trade continue?

A Great Debate-Agreement and Disagreement

The Setting:◦ Who-Delegates◦ What-Constitutional Convention◦ Where-Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia,

PA ◦ When-1787◦ Why-”…for the sole and express purpose of

revising the Articles of Confederation.”

A Great Debate-Getting Organized

On Friday, May 25, 1787, the convention began with the unanimous selection of George Washington as the presiding officer.

Along with a presiding officer, clear rules were needed to avoid confusion.

Several rules were adapted to keep the discussions secret. ◦ No one was allowed to remove notes from meeting

room.◦ Conversations about the proceedings could only took

place in the State House.◦ Doors and windows were to be kept shut.


George Washington (standing to the right) presiding over the delegates

Other rules for voting and behavior:◦ Each state had one vote regardless of its number of

delegates.◦ Debate rules allowed for each person’s opinion to be

heard.◦ No one was to whisper, pass notes, or read while

another delegate was speaking. The delegates met six days a week from 10:00

A.M. until 4:00 P.M., without stopping for a meal. Even though there were 55 delegates, an

average of 40 delegates were present on any given day.


On what issues did most delegates to the convention agree?◦ A need for a national government, not just an alliance of

states.◦ A need to guard against abuse of power (Montesquieu’s

principle of separation of powers) ◦ A need for divided power between the states and the national

government What decisions did the delegates make about secrecy

at the convention?◦ No one was allowed to remove notes from meeting room.◦ Conversations about the proceedings could only took place in

the State House.◦ Doors and windows were to be kept shut.

Checkpoint Questions

As one of their first acts, the delegates voted not to revise the Articles of Confederation.

Most of the delegates believed that government under the Articles was so weak that a new plan was needed.

Few delegates, believe it or not, had specific ideas about how to organize the new government.

One person who did have some definite ideas was James Madison of Virginia.

A Great Debate-What’s the Plan?

The Virginia Plan-Proposed by James Madison of Virginia (called for a strong national government to replace the alliance of states)◦Three branches of government◦Two house legislature◦Representation based on each state’s population


The New Jersey Plan-Proposed by William Patterson of New Jersey◦Three branches of government◦One house legislature◦Representation equal for all states


The Great Compromise-Proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut◦ Three branches of government◦ Like the Virginia Plan, it called for a bicameral, or two-house

legislature. The House of Representatives would be elected based on state

population. In the Senate, each state would have two senators regardless of

population.◦ This plan gave larger states more power in the House of

Representatives but equal power in the Senate.◦ This plan became known as the Great Compromise

because each side gave up part of what it wanted in order to benefit all.

◦ If both sides would have been unwilling to give and take, the convention probably would have failed.


What’s the Plan? The Great Compromise of 1787

Sharing Power◦ Many Delegates feared that a strong government

might abuse its power, treating the states much like England treated the colonies.

◦ Eventually, the delegates would decide which powers would be given to the national government, which would be kept by the states, and which the national and state government would share.


Slave Trade◦ One issue was whether each state would have the

power to either protect or abolish slave trade.◦ Several northern states wanted the national

government to regulate all trade and to outlaw slavery.◦ The southern states opposed this idea because their

plantations depended upon slave labor.◦ Because of the urgent need to form a new

government, the delegates compromised.◦ The agreement was that the national government

could regulate trade in general but it could not interfere with the slave trade until 1808.


The Question of How to count the state populations when determining representation in the House◦ Although slaves were treated as property, the

southern states wanted t count each slave as a person when figuring state population.

◦ Of course, the northern states objected that this would give the southern states more members in the House.

◦ What did the delegates do? They compromised.


This compromise counted each slave as three-fifths of a person when a state’s population was calculated.

The Executive and Judicial Branches◦ The delegates felt that the executive branch and

judicial branch were needed to provide for separation of powers.

◦ One president should be given executive power and a supreme court would have authority to interpret the laws and settle conflicts between states.

◦ The delegates generally agreed on the functions of each branch of government.

◦ They argued, however, about who should elect the President and the Congress.


The Question: Should all the citizens vote in a direct election or just the members of the state legislatures?◦ Some delegates argued for direct elections

because it would take into account the pinions of a wide variety of people.

◦ Others distrusted the people’s judgment.◦ Roger Sherman stated that the average citizens

“will never be sufficiently informed.”


Voting and Elections◦ As part of the Great Compromise, the delegates

decided that all eligible citizens-that is, white men with property-would elect members of the House.

◦ State legislatures would select senators.◦ A group of electors know as the Electoral College

would select the President.◦ Each state legislature could determine how that

state’s electors would be chosen.


The Signing◦ Throughout the summer of 1787, the delegates took up

resolution after resolution.◦ Finally, a committee put the Constitution into its final

form.◦ September 17, 1787, the convention drew to a close with

39 delegates signing the Constitution.◦ The delegates to the Constitutional Convention are often

called “the Framers” because they framed, or shaped, our form of government.

◦ Over the years, changes have been made in the Constitution.

◦ If “the Framers” could see their work today, they would still recognize the basic plan of government they created during that hot summer in 1787.

A Great Debate-What’s the Plan?The U.S. Constitution

Questions

Creating A Lasting Government

Documents

Transcript of Creating A Lasting Government