Chapter 5: Section 1 The Constitutional Convention

1. Chapter 5: Section 1The Constitutional Convention Nikhil Athreya Mrs. Enright Social Studies Period 5 September 24, 2010

2. Agreement & Disagreement • Shays’ Rebellion caused an uproar over the weak government under the Articles of Confederation. • Most delegates agreed with Montesquieu’s idea of government. (Separation of Powers). • There was controversy over how the legislative branch of the government, (Congress) should be created. • This was the main topic debated during the convention.

3. Getting Organized • The convention was decided to be held in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. • George Washington was unanimously voted to be the presiding officer over the convention. • For the fear of outside influence, delegates decided to hold talks in secret. • Delegates also decided that all delegates would be counted for one vote for the entire state. • Meetings would also be held between 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. without any breaks in between.

4. Madison’s Plan • There was confusion over the structure of the Congress. The first person to come up with a strong idea was James Madison. • James Madison’s plan was also known as the Virginia Plan. The House of Representative members would be elected by the people and the Senate would be based on the state population. His plan also involved a stronger national government. • Slaves would still be considered property but, would be counted as part of the population. • Many people thought that this idea was to radical and states with smaller populations disagreed with Madison’s plan.

5. The New Jersey Plan • The New Jersey Plan involved more equality than Madison’s Virginia Plan. • This idea was proposed by William Paterson of New Jersey. • This idea was a one house legislature where each state had an equal amount of votes, no matter what the state’s population. • Chaos and confusion ensued over the Virginia and New Jersey Plans.

6. The Great Compromise • This plan was lead by Robert Sherman of Connecticut. • The Great Compromise involved a bicameral, or two house, legislature. The House of Representatives would be based on the state’s population. In the Senate, two people from each state represented the state. • Many delegates agreed with this two house system for its fairness. • The Three-Fifths Compromise involved the slave issue. A slave was counted as three-fifths of a person.

7. The Executive and Judicial Branches • The delegates decided that a single leader was a good idea instead of a committee of leaders. • The Supreme Court would interpret laws that were created by the Congress. • Many of the delegates in the Constitutional Convention thought that the people were not smart enough for voting. Therefore, they decided to appoint an Electoral College appointed by state legislatures to vote for the people.

8. The Signing • On a hot day on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia the delegates signed the Constitution. • Benjamin Franklin thought that this document turned out to pass even his expectations! • The Constitution is the first living document in the world. It could be changed to reflect people’s needs.