4.2 Drafting a Constitution

Gathering of state representatives on May 25, 1787, to revise the Articles of Confederation.

• Great Compromise

• Constitutional Convention

• Three-Fifths Compromise

branch of government that passes laws

• judicial branch

• executive branch

• legislative branch

settlement in which each side gives up some of its demands in order to reach an agreement

• compromise

• Great Compromise

• Three-Fifths Compromise

branch of government that carries out laws

• judicial branch

• legislative branch

• executive branch

branch of government that decides if laws are carried out fairly

• judicial branch

• legislative branch

• executive branch

This plan called for a strong national government with three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislature would consist of two houses, and seats would be given on the basis of population.

• New Jersey Plan

• Virginia Plan

• Great Compromise

This plan called for three branches of government, but provided for a legislature that had only one house. Each state would have only one vote, regardless of its population.

• New Jersey Plan

• Virginia Plan

• Great Compromise

This plan called for a two-house legislature: the lower house, known as the House of Representatives, and the upper house, called the Senate. The House would be elected by popular vote, and each state would have two senators, no matter the size.

• New Jersey Plan

• Virginia Plan

• Great Compromise

If a state had 5,000 enslaved residents, 3,000 of them would be included in the state's population count. This is an example of

• the Great Compromise

• the Virginia Plan

• the Three-Fifths Compromise