Compromise: The US Constitution

What was The Constitutional Convention?

• An emergency meeting of delegates from the 13 states to revise the Articles of Confederation

• A trade agreement between the colonies and Britain
• A meeting to discuss the Declaration of Independence
• A military conflict between the North and South

Where and when did The Constitutional Convention meet?
It was the same place where The Declaration of Independence was signed.

• Boston, Massachusetts, from April to July, 1776

• Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May to September, 1787

• New York City, New York, from June to August, 1789

Who was selected as the President of the Constitutional Convention?

• Abraham Lincoln
• George Washington
• Thomas Jefferson
• Benjamin Franklin

Who was the oldest delegate at the Constitutional Convention?

• Abraham Lincoln
• George Washington
• Thomas Jefferson
• Benjamin Franklin

Who was selected to be the Secretary of the Constitutional Convention?

• Thomas Jefferson
• George Washington
• Benjamin Franklin
• James Madison

Did the Convention revise The Articles of Confederation?

or

Did they throw it out and come up with a completely new plan of government?

• They throw it out & came up with

  a completely new plan of government,

  called The US Consitution

• They revised The Articles of Confederation

How many delegates were there,
and which state did not send any delegate?

• There were 55 delegates,
  and Rhode Island didn't send any

• There were 13 delegates,
  1 for each state
  and New York didn't send any

These were the rules of The Constitutional Convention

• Secrecy

• Quorum, or the minimum number of states whose delegates must be present for the meeting and voting to happen

• 9 of the 13 states,

  must agree to ratify

• Delegates could not speak about the convention to anyone else

• 7 of the 13 states, must be present

• Minimum required to ratify (accept) the new Constitution

• 1 vote per state

• Each state had these many votes

  to ratify or not the new Constitution

There were several challenges at the convention

Match the problems and their solution

• 3 branches
  Legislative–Executive–Judical

• ineffective government without powers to enforce or review laws

• Senate:
  2 Senators from each state

• Small states wanted the same power for each state

• House Reps:
  # of reps per population

• Large states wanted power according to how many people lived in each state, so more power to larger states

• Federalism
  govt shared power with states

• A too weak vs a too strong national government

During the Constitutional Convention of 1787,

the Great Compromise resolved this conflict

between small and large states

• Representation in Congress

• Presidential powers

• Taxes