Constitutional Convention

Constitutional Convention

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Multiple Choice

Which had the most power under the Articles of Confederation?

• The president

• The federal government

• The courts

• The state governments

Multiple Choice

Why couldn't the Articles of Confederation be changed at the Constitutional Convention?

• The last article stated that the AoC could never be changed

• All states had to agree to changes and Rhode Island wasn't present

• George Washington insisted on being the first president and the AoC didn't allow a president

Constitutional Convention Basics: 

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• Every state sent delegates EXCEPT Rhode Island 

• Started as a meeting to change the AoC, but became a meeting to write a new Constitution 

• May-September 1787 (right after Shays’ Rebellion) 

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Shays’ Rebellion showed issues with the AoC- no army, no taxes, unanimous agreement

Compromise 1- The Great Compromise--> Large States v. Small States (How many votes would each state get in the legislative branch?)

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Wanted a bicameral Congress (2 houses of Congress) & BOTH houses should be based on population

• Side 2- Virginia Plan (large states)

Wanted a unicameral Congress (one house of Congress) & each state should have equal representation

Side 1- New Jersey Plan (small states)

The Great Compromise

(aka- Connecticut Compromise)

Bicameral legislature (2 houses of Congress- House of Representatives based on population & Senate- each state gets 2 Senators.)

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Multiple Choice

When creating a legislative branch, what did small states want?

• Equal representation

• Representation based on population

• No legislative branch

• Representation based on tax revenue

Multiple Choice

When creating a legislative branch, what did large states want?

• Equal representation

• Representation based on population

• No legislative branch

• Representation based on tax revenue

Multiple Choice

What did the Great Compromise do?

• Created a unicameral Congress with equal representation

• Created a bicameral Congress based on population

• Created a House of Reps based on population and a Senate with equal representation

Argument between the North and South

• Slavery

• # of votes in House of Representatives was based on population, southern states wanted to include slaves in their population count

• North did not want slaves to count in the population

3/5 Compromise

• Slaves would count as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of Representation

• The importation of slaves (slave trade) would have to end in 1808

• Many northerners assumed that slavery would end following the slave trade ban (they were wrong)

• After the Civil War, 13th amendment abolished slavery- 3/5 compromise no longer relevant​

How will we select a president?

• The new Constitution created an executive branch, led by a president, but the founders did not agree on how the president should be selected.

• One side argued that the President should be selected from (and by) members of Congress (like the Prime Minister in many nations)

• The other side believed that the President should be directly elected by the people to make sure he would be accountable to the people

Electoral College

• Process for selecting the President

• Each state gets a certain # of electors (# of senators + # of House members)

• The Electors then select the president (majority 50%+ 1)

• Current need 270 Electoral votes to become president​

Multiple Choice

Which of the following candidates would become the president?

• Won 52% of the popular vote and 260 electoral votes

• Won 50% of the popular vote and 269 electoral votes

• Won 48% of the popular vote and 271 electoral votes

• Won 19% of the popular vote and no electoral votes

Multiple Choice

Why did southern states want slaves to count in their population if they were treated as property instead of people?

• To increase the number of House members they had in Congress

• To increase the number of senators they had in Congress

• To increase the amount of federal money southern states received

• To increase their power in state legislatures

Federalist v. Anti-federalists

• Did the new Constitution create a central government that was too strong?

• Federalists- NO! The checks and balances and federalism (split power between states and national government) would keep the federal government from being too powerful.

• Anti-federalists- YES! The new government would be able to suppress the the rights of the people :-(

Compromise: Bill of Rights

• First 10 amendments (written by James Madison- federalist)

• Provided written protections for individuals to keep the government from becoming oppressive

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Multiple Choice

Who would think? The Constitution gives the federal government enough power to overpower the states.

• Federalists

• Anti-federalists

Multiple Choice

Who would think? A strong President is necessary to protect the country against foreign attack and make sure laws are carried out properly.

• Federalists

• Anti-federalists

Multiple Choice

Who would think? The Constitution contains no Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties like freedom of speech, trial by jury, and the right against searches and seizures.

• Federalists

• Anti-federalists

Multiple Choice

Who would think? The Constitution forbids creating titles of nobility like “Duke” or “King,” so the government will always belong to the people.

• Federalists

• Anti-federalists