Philadelphia Convention

1
Philadelphia Convention

• May
• 55 delegates
• Every state except
• From propertied class

• ? wanted to strengthen
  the central government
• Elected George Washington as presiding officer
• Met in secret

2
Plan

• Powerful national government
• Supremacy of national authority
• Rejected state sovereignty
• National govt could veto state laws
• National government would have direct authority
  over people
• Citizens would elect the lower house of national
  legislature
• Lower house representation based on
  
• Lower house would then name the members of the
  upper house
• Both houses would then choose judiciary and
  executive

James Madison
3
Plan

• National govt could
• Raise revenue
• Control commerce
• Make binding requisitions on states
• States could control own laws
• Each state had

William Paterson
4
Political Negotiation

• Upper house ?
• Lower house ?
• Federal Judicial System
• States had own courts and feared losing this
  power
• Convention left creation of system up to new
  national legislature
• Voting was not restricted to just property owners
• Upper house chosen by
• President elected by

States and their legislatures had some power
the people had more direct power acceptance of
reduction of state sovereignty?