Chapter 7 Section 2

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Chapter 7 Section 2

• Convention and Compromise

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I. Economic Depression
A. The US went through a depression after the
Revolutionary War.

• The Southern plantations were damaged and could
  not produce as much rice, rice prices dropped.
• Farmers couldnt sell goods-no money to pay
  taxes-farmers lost land-some were jailed.
• Trade fell and money was in short supply

B. Shays Rebellion helped troubled farmers. It
made it so judges could not seize a farmers
land.
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C. Slavery was a difficult issue that many people
and groups were working toward ending. 1.
1774-Quakers-organized first American
Antislavery Society 2.
1780-Pennsylvania passed law for gradual freeing
of enslaved people. 3. 1783-Massachusetts
court ruled slavery illegal. 4.
1784-1804-Conn., RI., NY., and NJ., ended
slavery. 5. 1787-the Free African Society
in Philadelphia was formed. D. Virginia passed a
law encouraging manumission, (freeing
individual enslaved persons.) E. Slavery divided
the country. They realized the Articles of
Confederation was too weak to end slavery.
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• II. A Call for Change
• Political leaders were divided about type of
  government.
• 1. One group wanted to maintain independent
  state governments.
• 2. The other group wanted a strong national
  government.
• B. 1787-Alexander Hamilton proposed a meeting in
  Philadelphia to discuss the Articles of
  Confederation.

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• III. The Constitutional Convention
• The Constitutional Convention-May 1787-55
  delegates (no Native Americans, African
  Americans, or women)
• James Madison-Father of the Constitution
• George Washington Presided. The rules were
• 1. Each state had 1 vote on all issues
• 2. A majority vote was needed to finalize
  decisions.
• 3. Delegates from at least 7 of 13 states were
  required for meetings to be held.
• 4. Delegates met behind closed doors so they
  could talk freely.

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D. Two plans of government were proposed-Virginia
Plan New Jersey Plan E. Virginia Plan-a two
house legislature-a chief executive-a court
system 1. The people would elect members of
the lower house. 2. The lower house would
choose members of the upper house. 3. The
number of members of the house would be based
on the population of the states. F. The New
Jersey Plan-modified the Articles of
Confederation. 1. One house legislature, 1
vote for each state 2. Congress has power to
set taxes and regulate trade 3.
Congress-elects executive branch w/more than one
person
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• IV. Compromise Wins Out
• Decided that revising Articles of Confederation
  would not fix problems. Decided to revise the
  Virginia Plan by
• 1. How members of Congress were elected.
• 2. How state representatives would be
  determined in houses.
• 3. Whether or not enslaved people are counted
  for population.
• 4. Whether or not to ban slavery.
• B. The Great Compromise was the result. It said
  that
• 1. A two-house legislature
• 2. The way to count enslaved people would be
  with the Three-Fifths Compromise.

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C. Congress would not interfere with slave trade
until 1808. D. The Bill of Rights was proposed to
protect the new government from abusing its
power. E. September 17-1787-(after 4 months) the
delegates met to sign the document.