Creating a Constitution

Creating a Constitution

In Feb 1787 the Confederation Congress invited each state to send delegates to convention in Philadelphia. The goal of the meeting was to improve the Articles of Confederation.

​The Constitutional Convention was held in May 1787 in Philadelphia's Independence Hall to improve the Articles of Confederation. However, delegates (state leaders) would leave with an entirely new U.S. Constitution.

​Most delegates were well educated, and many had served in state Congress. James Madison were there. He was considered the father of the constitution after it was all said and done. Revolutionary War hero George Washington was elected the president of the Convention.

Virginia Plan

​Several issues divided the delegates in the Constitutional Convention. Some members wanted only small changes to the Articles, while others wanted to rewrite it completely.

​

​Virginia Plan | After the delegates had met for 4 days, a plan from Virginia was proposed.

​He proposed a new federal constitution that would give supreme power to the central government. The legislature would be made up of two houses, or groups of representatives. And the amount of representatives would be based on state populations. Larger states would then have more representatives than smaller states. Delegates from smaller states believed that it would give too much power to larger states.

​New Jersey Plan

​The smaller states came up with a plan to stop the larger states from getting too much power. New Jersey delegate presented the New Jersey Plan.

​It called for for a one house legislature. The plan gave each state an equal number of votes, and thus an equal voice in federal government.

​

​Compromise is Reached | The legislative branch would have two representatives in the Senate, or upper house. This would give each state an equal voice, pleasing the smaller states.

In the House of Representatives, or lower house, the number of representatives for each state would be determined by the state's population. This pleased the larger states.

​This agreement became known as the Great Compromise.

Multiple Choice

Representatives from the 13 states met to write a new constitution in 1787 in?

• Philadelphia

• New York

• Boston

• Valley Forge

Multiple Choice

Asked to be president of the Convention, first to sign

• Benjamin Franklin
• George Washington
• Alexander Hamilton
• John Adams

Multiple Choice

Who is known as "the Father of the Constitution"?

• George Washington

• James WIlson

• James Madison

• Ben Franklin

Multiple Choice

The plan of government adopted at the Constitutional Convention that established a two-house Congress. In the House of Representatives, representation from each state is based on state population. In the Senate, each state is represented by two senators.

• The Great Compromise

• The Three-Fifths Compromise

• The Federalist Papers

• The Articles of Confederation

Multiple Select

The Virginia Plan that was offered at Constitutional Convention included in it? (please select all)

• Two House Legislature

• Two House Legislature Representation would be based on the Population size of each State

• One House Legislature

• Legislature Representation would be Equal among the States

Multiple Select

The New Jersey Plan that was offered at Constitutional Convention included in it? (please select all)

• Two House Legislature

• Two House Legislature Representation would be based on the Population size of each State

• One House Legislature

• Legislature Representation would be Equal among the States

​Three-Fifths Compromise

​With on compromise, other issues came to light. There was debate over representation. Southern delegates wanted enslaved Africans to be counted as part of their state population for more power and representatives in Congress.

​The Northern states disagreed. (Obviously)

​To solve this problem, they counted on three-fifths of each states slave population to decide how many representatives they'd have in Congress. They accepted the idea and this compromise was called the Three-Fifths Compromise.

​A New System of Government

​Most of the delegates to the Convention wanted a stronger government. They believed it was needed for the protection of the states.

​But the delegates also wanted to protect the individual rights that had been won in the Revolution.

​So they supported the rights of citizens to "life liberty & the pursuit of happiness" by adding popular sovereignty, this is the idea that political authority would be in the hands of the people.

​Balancing Power

​The delegates divided the power of the central government into three branches, each having a specific role.

​

​The legislative branch, called Congress, is responsible for proposing and passing laws.

​The executive branch includes the president and the departments that help run the government. They make sure the laws are carried out.

​The judicial branch is made up of all the national courts. They're responsible for interpreting laws, punishing criminals, and settling disputes between states.

​Even though many of the delegates wanted a stronger government, they did not want to destroy state governments. State governments can be more sensitive to local issues and traditions.

​To balance the power between these two governments, the delegates then created the system of federalism.

​Federalism divided the powers of the government between a central government and the states that make up the nation.

​Federalism

Multiple Choice

An agreement made at the Constitutional Convention stating that enslaved persons would be counted as three-fifths a person when determining a state's population for representation in the House of Representatives.

• The Great Compromise

• The Articles of Confederation

• The Three-Fifths Compromise

• The Federalist Papers

Multiple Choice

What is Popular Sovereignty?

• Being popular in the world
• People voting and having a say in the governments decisions
• People voting
• The act of the 20th admendment and it’s rules.

Multiple Choice

Which branch of government is responsible for interpreting laws?

• Executive
• Judicial
• Legislative

Multiple Choice

Which branch of government is responsible for creating laws?

• Executive
• Judicial
• Legislative

Multiple Choice

Which branch of government is responsible for enforcing laws?

• Executive
• Judicial
• Legislative

Multiple Choice

What term refers to the idea that the national government shares power with state governments?

• Articles of Confederation
• Ratification
• Federalism
• Checks and Balances