Constitutional Convention Introduction

​Objectives of this lesson

​1- Explain why the Philadelphia Convention (later to be called the Constitutional Convention was called.

​2- Identify Organizational decisions that were made early in the convention.

​3- Evaluate whether the right people were chosen to attend as delegates

Multiple Choice

What was the only branch of the federal government that was created by the Articles of Confederation?

• Executive Branch that would have the power to enforce laws

• Judicial Branch that would have the power to interpret laws

• Legislative Branch that would have the power to write laws

• No Branches- They did not want the government to be able to do anything

Multiple Choice

Why did the founders of the United States create a national government with only one branch?

• They wanted a strong government that didn't have to share powers among branches

• That is what France had and since it worked for France it would work for the US

• Enlightenment philospher, John Locke thougth a one branch government was best

• They feared a strong goverment so did not want to give the federal government power to enforce or interpret laws.

Multiple Choice

What document created the first national government for the United States of America

• US Constitution

• Magna Carta

• Articles of Confederation

• Northwest Ordinance

Multiple Select

Select all of the problems that could not be solved under the Articles of Confederation

• Could not control the value of money

• Could not defend the borders of the US

• Could not sell lands west of the Appalachian Mountains

• Could not negotiate national trade deals with other nations

Multiple Choice

Why did Virginia ask the states to send delegates to Annapolis, Maryland in 1786?

• They wanted the states to discuss rejoining Great Britain.

• They wanted to weaken the Congress so that they could lower the people's taxes.

• They wanted to create a monarchy so that the government could solve the nation's problems.

• They wanted the states to discuss how to change the A of C and make Congress stronger.

Multiple Choice

Why didn't the Annapolis Convention succede in changing the Aritcles of Confederation?

• New York abastanined from voting so an amendment could not be passed.

• So many states came that all the delegates did was argue so nothing got done.

• They did not have enough states in attendance to reach the unanamous vote needed to make a change.

• Britain invaded the US before they were finished so the delegates went to defend the United States.

Multiple Choice

Why wasn't the Anapolis Conventon Successful?

• Only 5 states showed up so the A of C could not be amended.

• Too many states showed up and all they did was argue.

• It was too hot in Maryland so they had to move to Massachusetts

• New York would not vote on any legislation so the Articles could not be changed

Multiple Choice

Why did Massachusetts farmers lead a rebellion against the state's courts?

• Courts were putting farmers in jail and foreclosing on their land for not paying their debts.

• Courts were taking farmers crops to repay debts owed to Britain from before the war.

• THe courts were turning farm land of western Massachusetts into state parks

• The courts were returning ownership of the land to the Native Americans.

Multiple Choice

What was the significance of Shays's Rebellion?

• It poved that Thomas Jefferson was right and a little rebellion now and again was good for democracy.

• It convinced many Americans that the A of C were doing a good job of protecting the people.

• It convinced many Americans that a convention should be held to strengthen the A of C.

• It didn't have a significance because there was no internet to spread the news.

Multiple Choice

What did many American leaders believe was wrong with the national governemnt created by the Articles of Confederation at the time the Philadelpha Convention was called (May 1787)?

• It was too weak

• It was too strong

• It took away the rights of the citizens

Multiple Select

What two men called delegates to a meeting to be held in Philadelphia starting in May of 1787?

• Benjaman Franklin

• Alexander Hamilton

• Patrick Henry

• James Madison

Multiple Select

Which of the following was a characteristic of a typical convention delegate at the Constitutional Conventoin?

• White

• Male

• Educated

• Upper economic class

• Leader of their state

Multiple Choice

What nickname was given to James Madison because he contributed so much to the Constitutional Convention?

• The Great Compromiser

• The Constitutionator

• The Father of the Constitution

• The Godfather of Democracy

Multiple Choice

What was the Philadelphia Convention called to do?

• Create a new government that was stronger than the one under the A of C.

• Change the Articles of Convention to make the government stronger.

• Study other countrys' governemnts to learn how to make a better nation.

• Create and train a national military to defend against future rebellions.

​George Washington

• ​Selected to be the President of the Convention

  • ​Most trusted man in the US would make people trust what was happening

  • ​His job was to makesure everything at the convention is done fairly.

    • ​

​Procedural Decission

​Delegates vote to keep all all discussions that happen at the convention secret until the convention is finished.

​

​Time to think-

What effect do you believe this decision would have on the convention and the nation?

Multiple Choice

A typical Aemrican of the 18th century had little formal education, worked in an agricultural related job, and was not involved in government. Does this discribe a typical delegate at the convention?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Why was George Washington selected to be the President of the Philadelphia Convention?

• He was the tallest man at the convention

• He owned more land than any other American citizen

• His had such a good reputation, people would trust what the convention decided if he was the president.

• He drew the short straw.

Multiple Choice

Keeping the procedings of the Philadelphia Convention secret could have made many Americans suspicious of what they were up to.

• True

• False

​ Constitutional Convention

​In the upcoming unit you will be studying the Constitutional Convention and the US Constitution.

​- We will be researching major compromises made at the Convention

​- How the Constitution was put into effet

​- The structure and powers of the federal government under the Constitution of 1787.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following will we not be doing in our study of the US Constitution?

• Researching the major compromises made at the Constitutional Convention

• Writing a new constitution for Roberts MiddleSchool

• Studying how the Constitution was put into effect

• Examining the structure of the government under the Constitution of 1787.