5.3 Creating the Constitution Notes

Creating the Constitution

Module 5 Lesson 3

Multiple Choice

Why did the Articles of Confederation government fail?

• it made the federal government too powerful

• it gave too much power to the President

• it created a weak federal government

• it created a weak state government

• May 1787- delegates from each state met at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

• The goal was to improve the Articles of Confederation.

• ​Well educated delegates included Benjamin Franklin & James Madison.

• George Washington was elected President.

• Women, African Americans and Native Americans were not included and did not yet have rights.

Constitutional Convention

Match

Match the following

• George Washington

• Constitutional Convention

• James Madison

• Benjamin Franklin

• Women, African Americans, Native Americans

Elected President

Original Goal was to amend the A.O.C.

Attended the meeting

Attended the meeting

did not attend the meeting

• Elected President

• Original Goal was to amend the A.O.C.

• Attended the meeting

• Attended the meeting

• did not attend the meeting

• presented by Edmund Randolph.

• Supreme power to the federal government

• bicameral (two house) legislature

• representatives chosen on the basis of population

• plan gave more power to large states

• ​presented by William Paterson

• unicameral (one house) legislature

• each state had an equal number of votes

• gave federal government the power to tax & regulate trade

Match

Match the following

• Virginia plan

• Virginia Plan

• New Jersey Plan

• New Jersey Plan

two house legislature

representative based on state population

one house legislature

equal vote representation

• two house legislature

• representative based on state population

• one house legislature

• equal vote representation

• After months of debate, Roger Sherman proposed a compromise plan. The plan included:

• Legislative Branch with 2 Houses

  • Senate (upper house)- each state has 2 representatives

  • House of Representatives (lower house)- number of representatives determined by state population

​

The Great Compromise

Multiple Choice

The Great Compromise created a one house legislature that was based on state population

• True

• False

• ​Northern and Southern states debated over representation

• Southern states wanted enslaved Africans to count towards their population

• Compromise- 3/5's of a states slave population could count for representation.

• Some delegates believed slavery was wrong and wanted to end the slave trade.

• Southern delegates said they would leave the union if the slave trade was banned

Three- Fifths Compromise

• New government would have a strong federal government

• Unalienable rights supported by popular sovereignty (idea that political authority is in the hands of the people)

• People express power through voting

• Central government power was divided among 3 branches, we call this separation of powers.

• Checks and Balances keep any branch from becoming too powerful

​

New System of Government

• ​Congress

• proposes and passes laws

• 2 Houses

  • Senate- 2 senators

  • House of Representatives- based on population

Legislative Branch

• ​President & the departments that run the government

• makes sure laws are carried out

Executive Branch

• ​National Courts

• interprets laws

• punishes criminals and settles disputes between states

Judicial Branch

Match

Match the following

• Legislative

• Executive

• Judicial

creates laws

enforces laws

interprets laws

• creates laws

• enforces laws

• interprets laws

• Federalism is a system that divides power between the state and federal government.

• Delegates wanted the government to be able to adapt to changes in society.

• 2/3 of Congress needed to vote to make a change to the Constitution​

Other Ideas in the Constitution