The Road to the Constitution

1. The Road to the Constitution

3. Quick Review • Declaration of Independence • Second Continental Congress • Approved July 4, 1776 • The Articles of Confederation • 1777, our first constitution • Weak federal government • Shay’s Rebellion, 1786-1787

4. Strengthening the National Government • 1787 • Problems with the Articles of Confederation • States sent delegates to Philadelphia to fix the A.O.C. • Rhode Island did not go…they did not want a stronger central government

5. The Constitutional Convention • May 25, 1787 • Independence Hall, Philadelphia • An extraordinary group of men • 55 men • Well-educated • Lawyers, merchants, college presidents, doctors, generals, governors, and planters with considerable political experience

6. Who was there? Who missed it? • Benjamin Franklin • 81, oldest delegate • George Washington & James Madison • Both would become president • Thomas Jefferson & John Adams • Both were in Europe • Patrick Henry • Prominent Virginian • He was invited but did not attend; he was against the convention

7. The Boss • Who was chosen to preside over the convention? • George Washington • Respected for his leadership during the Rev. War http://richmondthenandnow.com/Images/Famous-Visitors/George-Washington-big.jpg

8. Procedures of the Convention • Each state was only allowed one vote • Majority votes from all states made decisions • All discussions were a secret! Why…? • This way, delegates could speak freely, without worry about how the public would react

9. Importance of the Constitutional Convention • “I would bury my bones in this city rather than leave the Convention without anything being done.” -George Mason at the Constitutional Convention *Everyone knew that failure could mean disaster*

10. What happened to the… • Articles of Confederation??? • The throw it away, decided to write a new constitution http://www.uberreview.com/wp-content/uploads/grocery-bag-trash-can.jpg

11. Two Opposing Plans VS. Virginia vs. New Jersey http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/map/vamap.jpg http://www.pestmanagement.rutgers.edu/nj-counties-new.gif

12. Two Opposing Plans • The Virginia Plan • James Madison • 3 branches of government • Bicameral legislature (2 houses), determined by population • Favored big states

13. Two Opposing Plans • The New Jersey Plan • William Patterson • 3 branches of government • Unicameral legislature (1 house) with equal representation • Favored smaller states

14. Two Opposing Plans • What was the big issue? • How representation in Congress would be decided • Larger states wanted more power, smaller states wanted equal power

15. The Great Compromise • Roger Sherman of Connecticut comes up with the answer…a compromise • Lower House • House of Representatives • Determined by population • 2 year terms • Favored larger states • Upper House • Senate • Equal representation • 6 year terms • Favored smaller states • Also known as… The Connecticut Compromise • What is a compromise??? • A way of resolving disagreements in which each side gives up something but gains something else

17. More arguing? What now? • Controversy over counting slaves as a part of the population… • At this time, there were 550,000 enslaved African Americans, mostly in the South

18. More arguing? What now? • Southern states said… part of the population = more representatives for southern states • Northern states said… slaves cannot vote or participate in government, they should not give the south more representatives

19. The Three-Fifths Compromise • The conflict was finally resolved… • Three-Fifths Compromise • Every 5 enslaved persons would count as 3 free people • Used for representation in Congress & figuring taxes

20. Another compromise • How to elect a president? • Some say… “Let Congress pick!” • Others say… “Let the people choose!” • The compromise…

21. Electoral College • A group of people would be chosen by each state to choose the President • Each state given a certain number of votes, determined by their representation in Congress

22. One last compromise • Conflicts over commerce & the slave trade • Congress could regulate (control) trade between states & other countries • However, they could NOT tax exports or interfere with the slave trade for 20 years

24. Finished…finally! • September 17, 1787, finished up the Constitution • Delegates signed it, said the Constitution would become the law of the land when… • 9 out of 13 states ratified (approved) it

25. So everyone in the entire United States of America loved the Constitution and every state ratified it immediately and we all had a big party and we all lived happily ever after, right…?

26. Wrong!

27. A Divided Public • Some people liked the Constitution, others did not • Federalists = supporters of the new constitution & a strong federal government • Federalism = A form of government in which power is divided between the federal (national) government and the states

28. A Divided Public • Some Federalists wrote papers to rally support for the Constitution • They were called the Federalist Papers • Who wrote ‘em? • Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, & John Jay

29. A Divided Public • What about those who didn’t like the Constitution? • Anti-Federalists = People opposed to the constitution & a strong federal government • “Don’t forget individual rights!”

30. Reaching an Agreement • Anti-Federalists wanted to add… • The Bill of Rights • The Federalists promised to do so, and did • New Hampshire, 9th state to ratify • June 21, 1788 • The Constitution went into effect • The last state to ratify…? • Rhode Island, 1790

31. Ticket out the door

32. 1. What is a form of government in which power is divided between the federal (national) government and the states?

33. 2. What did the Anti-Federalists want to add to the Constitution?

34. 3. Who was the father of the Constitution?