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Chapter 5- Creating the Constitution. The Constitutional Convention. Took place in the Pennsylvania State House Friday, May 25, 1787, the convention began with a unanimous selection of George Washington as presiding officer Doors and windows were to be kept shut
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The Constitutional Convention • Took place in the Pennsylvania State House • Friday, May 25, 1787, the convention began with a unanimous selection of George Washington as presiding officer • Doors and windows were to be kept shut • Conversations should only take place inside the State House and no one should remove their notes
Rules at the Convention • Each state had one vote, regardless of its number of delegates • The delegates met six days a week from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. • Average of 40 delegates attended each day
Madison’s Plan • The delegates voted not to revise the Articles • Too weak and needed a new plan • James Madison’s (from Virginia)Plan • Strong national government with legislative, executive, and judicial branches • Legislative Branch- 2 branches • House of Representative- people would directly elect members • Senate- members of the House would choose the senators • The number of seats in the House and Senate would be based on each state’s population
Sharing Power • Many delegates feared that a strong national government might abuse its power • After arguing out the details, the delegates decided which powers would be given to the national government, the states, and shared • One issues would have the power to either protect or abolish was the slave trade • It couldn’t interfere with the slave trade until 1808
The Great Compromise • Proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut • Like the Virginia Plan, it called for a bicameral, or two-house, legislature • The House of Representatives would be elected on the basis of population • The Senate would have equal representation, regardless of its population • Power in the House- Larger states • Power in the Senate- Equal to both
The 3/5 Compromise • Although slaves were treated as property, the southern states wanted to count each slave as a person • Why? • The northern states objected • Why? • 3/5 Compromise: counted each slave as three fifths of a person when a state’s population was calculated
Voting and Elections • The delegates decided that all eligible citizens– white men with property– would elect member of the House • State legislature would select senators, and they would determine how the electors would be chosen • A group of electors known as the Electoral College would select the President
The Signing • The convention drew to a close, with 39 delegates signing the Constitution on September 17, 1787 • The delegates of the Constitutional Convention are often called “the Framers”
Federalists vs. Anti Federalists • Federalists: supporters of the Constitution and a strong federal, or national government • Anti Federalists: feared a strong central government would endanger people’s liberties; wanted a bill of rights
“Necessary and Proper” • This statement giving Congress power to make laws “necessary and proper” to carry out its stated powers • Anti-Federalists argued it left the door open to an abuse of power
The Federalist Papers • James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote this collection of essays • 85 essays outlining the need for a new government and the waythe new government should take • Published in 1787 and 1788
Ratified? • Ratified: approved • For the Constitution to go into effect it had to be ratified by at least nine state conventions • After the Federalists agreed to add a bill of rights many more states approved and the Constitution was ratified • June 1788- the Constitution was ratified when New Hampshire became the 9th state
The Goals of our Government • To Form a More Perfect Union • To Establish Justice • To Insure Domestic Tranquility • To Provide for the Common Defense • To Promote the General Welfare • To Secure the Blessing of Liberty to Ourselves and Our Posterity
The Articles • Article 1: The Legislative Branch • Article 2: The Executive Branch • Article 3: The Judicial Branch • Article 4: The States • Article 5: Amending the Constitution • Article 6: The Supremacy of the Constitution • Article 7: Ratification • Amendments to the Constitution
Federalism • Federalism: the division of power between the states and the federal or national government • Concurrent Powers: powers shared by the federal and state governments • Reserved Powers: powers that the Constitution neither giver to Congress nor denies to the states
Checks and Balances • Diving power among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches • Checks and Balances: gives each branch of government ways to limit the powers of the other two • Impeach: accuse the President or other high officials of serious wrongdoing • If found guilty in a trial in the Senate, the official will be removed