Ch.8,Lesson 1

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Ch.8,Lesson 1

• The Constitutional Convention
• 1787

• 1780s Americans were poor.
• There was a lot of debt.
• Massachusetts farmers protested and took over an
  arsenal
• arsenal is a weapons storehouse
• Shays Rebellion led by Daniel Shay
• Governor of Massachusetts had to send state
  troops to stop the uprising.
• There was no national army.
• made some people think the National government
  could not keep order or control.
• So the government looked weak.

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Ideas for Change
Ch.8,Lesson 1

• James Madison (VA)
• Argued the country needed a stronger national
  government.
• All states had governors, but no single national
  leader
• There was no national court system

• Patrick Henry (VA)
• was one of many delegates who wanted to keep the
  articles of confederation
• Henry was pro states and against a strong federal
  government.

Why did some people want a stronger national
government? Because they thought that the
national government could not keep order or
protect them.
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Ch.8,Lesson 1
George Washington was chosen to be president of
the Constitutional Convention Edmund Randolph
(VA) asked congress to do away with the Articles
of Confederation, and write a new plan.

1. One main issue was the relationship between the
   federal government and the state government
2. And how should representation in Congress be
   divided among the states.

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Ch.8,Lesson 1
Major Debate

• The Virginia Plan
• Edmund Randolf (VA)
• Under the plan Congress would have two parts, or
  houses. But the number of representatives was
  based on the state population
• This plan favored larger states
• VA, MA, PA

• The New Jersey Plan
• William Patterson (NJ)
• He and others were worried that larger states
  would have more control in Congress.
• The NJ Plan
• One house where each state would be equally
  represented (Senate)

How did the delegates disagree about
representation in Congress? They disagreed over
whether to base representation on population or
have the same number of representatives from each
state.
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Working Together
Ch.8,Lesson 1
Compromise to reach an agreement, or give up
something in order to reach a goal.
Bill an idea for a new law.

• The Connecticut Compromise
• Based on the idea of a two house Congress.
• One house would be based on the population of
  each state. (House of Representatives)
• In the other house, each state would be equally
  represented. (Senate 2 per state)
• Committee added another idea only the house in
  which representation was based on population
  would be able to propose a tax bill
• Approved July 16, 1787

How did delegates settle the issue of
representation in Congress? One house would have
representation based on population. Another house
would have the
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Compromises on Slavery
Ch.8,Lesson 1
Should slaves be counted when figuring each
states population? South said YES! Because
the southern states would have more
representatives North said NO! they aregued
that since slaves were not allowed to vote and
did not hold citizenship. Some delegates hoped
slaver would end.
The Three-Fifths Compromise Delegates agreed to
count three-fifths of the number of slaves in
each state toward the number of representatives.
Gouvernour Morris of Pennsylvania called slavery
the curse of heaven on the states where it
prevailed.
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Ch.8,Lesson 1
SLAVERY The Convention In 1808 Congress agreed
that states could not import enslaved people from
other countries. After 1808, Congress banned the
slave trade with other countries. However,
enslaved people could be bought and sold within
the United States.
Summary Instead of just fixing the Articles of
Confederation, the delegates at the
Constitutional Convention decided to write a new
constitution. The Great Compromise resolved
conflicts over representation in the government.
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Ch.8,Lesson 1

• How was a new plan of government developed at the
  Constitutional Convention?
• The delegates developed a new plan of government
  after much debate and compromise.
• 2. Explain how the terms federal system and
  republic are related?
• The Constitution set up a republic that is
  governed by a federal system
• 3. Who were some of the people associated with
  the development of the United States
  Constitution?
• George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James
  Madison, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris,
  Edmund Randolph William Patterson
• 4. How did the makers of the Constitution try to
  fix some of the problems that existed under that
  Articles of Confederation?
• They gave the federal government the power to
  collect taxes, maintain an army, and print all
  money.

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Ch.8,Lesson 1
Gouverneur Morris In every society the members
have a right to the utmost liberty.
The Preamble to the US Constitution We the
People of the United States, in Order to form a
more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure
domestic Tranquility, provide for the common
defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure
the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our
Posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.