Constitutional Convention

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Constitutional Convention

• May-Sept. 1787
• 89/116 days
• 55 delegates
• Average age 42
• Secret Meetings at Philadelphias Independence
  Hall

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James MadisonFather of the Constitution
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Important Compromises

• The Great Compromise
• 3/5 Compromise
• Commerce and Slavery Compromise
• Compromise between State and Central Power
  Federalism
• Add a Bill of Rights

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Great CompromiseConnecticut Compromise

• Virginia Plan
• Three branches
• Legislature-bicameral
• Popular election
• Based on population/revenue
• Legislature elects judicial/executive

• New Jersey Plan
• Three branches
• Legislature-unicameral
• By state
• Executive Panel appointed by legislature
• Supreme Tribunal appointed by executuve panel

3 Branches- 1. Bicameral Legislature House of
Representatives based on population Senate
2 per state 2. Elected Executive 3. Supreme
Court Appointed by the President Approved by
the Senate
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3/5 CompromiseHow shall slaves be counted?

• For purposes of representation?
• Count them equally!!! Southern States
• Wait, they cant vote! Or hold propertyor be
  citizensDont count them at all!!!! Northern
  States
• but for tax purposes????

• Compromise
• For purposes of determining the number of
  representatives-
• Slaves shall be counted at 3/5

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Commerce and Slavery clause

• No taxes on Exports
• Congress could not prohibit the slave trade for
  20 years
• Congress outlaws the importation of slaves in 1808

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FederalismDistributes government power between a
central government and state governments
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Ratification 9/13

• Federalists
• Support
• Write The Federalists Papers
• James Madison
• Alexander Hamilton
• John Jay

• Anti-Federalists
• Dont like
• Ratification procedure
• No mention of God
• Central gov is too big
• States rights
• NO BILL OF RIGHTS
• Patrick Henry
• Richard Henry Lee
• John Hancock
• Sam Adams
• Thomas Jefferson

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Thinking By Analogy

• Consider a proposal to give the United Nations
  the following
• power to tax and spend money for global warfare
• exclusive power to issue currency
• control of international commerce
• jurisdiction over all cases involving the UN
  Charter
• jurisdiction over cases involving more than 1
  country
• power to take over national armies to execute UN
  law
• power to make any law thought necessary
  proper

In what ways would this proposal affect the
sovereignty of member nations?
During the following discussion, think how this
analogy does/does not reflect the the situation
faced by the citizens of the 13 states in 1787.