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The American Revolution is over…but now the colonists have to decide how
they want to frame their government. Take the first 5 minutes of class and
imagine that you were a colonist that just fought against the British. Take out a
sheet of paper and write a letter (using full sentences!) to George Washington
telling him what you want him to remember when the delegates are making our
Constitution.
Hints: taxes, voting, your region, religion, etc.
(I will be choosing people to share their answers!)
Strengthening the National Government
1787
Problems with the Articles of Confederation
States sent delegates to Philadelphia to fix
the A.O.C.
Rhode Island did not go…they did not want
a stronger central government
The Constitutional Convention
May 25, 1787
Independence Hall, Philadelphia
An extraordinary group of men
55 men
Well-educated
Lawyers, merchants, college presidents, doctors,
generals, governors, and planters with
considerable political experience
Who was there? Who missed it? Benjamin Franklin
81, oldest delegate
George Washington & James Madison Both would become president
Thomas Jefferson & John Adams Both were in Europe
Patrick Henry Prominent Virginian
He was invited but did not attend; he was against the convention
The Boss Who was chosen to
preside over the
convention?
George Washington
Respected for his
leadership during the
Rev. War
http://richmondthenandnow.com/Images/Famous-Visitors/George-Washington-big.jpg
Procedures of the Convention
Each state was only allowed one vote
Majority votes from all states made
decisions
All discussions were a secret! Why…?
This way, delegates could speak freely, without
worry about how the public would react
Importance of the Constitutional Convention
“I would bury my bones in this city rather
than leave the Convention without anything
being done.”
-George Mason (Virginia) at the Constitutional
Convention
*Everyone knew that failure could mean disaster*
What happened to the… Articles of Confederation???
They throw it away, decided
to write a new constitution
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Two Opposing Plans
VS.
http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/map/vamap.jpg http://www.pestmanagement.rutgers.edu/nj-counties-new.gif
Virginia vs. New Jersey
Two Opposing Plans The Virginia Plan
James Madison
3 branches of government
Bicameral legislature (2 houses),
determined by population
Favored big states
Two Opposing Plans The New Jersey Plan
William Patterson
3 branches of government
Unicameral legislature (1 house) with
equal representation
Favored smaller states
Two Opposing Plans What was the big issue?
How representation in Congress would be
decided
Larger states wanted more power, smaller
states wanted equal power
The Great Compromise Roger Sherman of Connecticut
comes up with the answer…a compromise
Lower House
House of Representatives
Determined by population
2 year terms
Favored larger states
Upper House
Senate
Equal representation
6 year terms
Favored smaller states
Also known as… The Connecticut Compromise
What is a compromise???
A way of resolving disagreements in which each side gives up something but gains something else
More arguing? What now?
Controversy over counting slaves as a part
of the population…
At this time, there were 550,000 enslaved
African Americans, mostly in the South
More arguing? What now?
Southern states said… part of the
population = more representatives for
southern states
Northern states said… slaves cannot vote
or participate in government, they should
not give the south more representatives
The Three-Fifths Compromise
The conflict was finally resolved…
Three-Fifths Compromise
Every 5 enslaved persons would count as 3 free
people
Used for representation in Congress & figuring
taxes
Another compromise How to elect a president?
Some say… “Let Congress pick!”
Others say… “Let the people choose!”
The compromise…
Electoral College A group of people would be chosen by
each state to choose the President
Each state given a certain number of votes,
determined by their representation in
Congress
One last compromise Conflicts over commerce & the slave trade
Congress could regulate (control) trade between
states & other countries
However, they could NOT tax exports or interfere
with the slave trade for 20 years
Finished…finally! September 17, 1787, finished up the
Constitution
Delegates signed it, said the Constitution
would become the law of the land when…
9 out of 13 states ratified (approved) it
So everyone in the entire United
States of America loved the
Constitution and every state ratified it
immediately and we all had a big
party and we all lived happily ever
after, right…?
A Divided Public Some people liked the Constitution, others did not
Federalists = supporters of the new constitution &
a strong federal government
Federalism = A form of government in which
power is divided between the federal (national)
government and the states
A Divided Public Some Federalists wrote papers to rally
support for the Constitution
They were called the Federalist Papers
(duh)
Who wrote ‘em?
Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, & John Jay
A Divided Public What about those who didn’t like the
Constitution?
Anti-Federalists = People opposed to the
constitution & a strong federal government
“Don’t forget individual rights!”
Reaching an Agreement Anti-Federalists wanted to add…
The Bill of Rights
The Federalists promised to do so, and did
New Hampshire, 9th state to ratify June 21, 1788
The Constitution went into effect
The last state to ratify…? Rhode Island, 1790
Federalist Number 51 continued
“In framing a government which is to be
administered by men over men, the great
difficulty lies in this: you must first enable
the government to control the governed;
and in the next place oblige it to control
itself.”
-James Madison
40
Who: Hamilton, Madison,
Jay
Patrick Henry
Central
Government
Strong:provide
protection
Weak : focus on
states
Interpretation Loose Strict
Bill of Rights Eventually Without a doubt!!!!
Supporters Wealth/industrial common/farmers
Power of President Lots Little - no Kings!
Federalist Antifederalist Issue
42
Lesson questions
What does interpretation mean?
What does strict interpretation of the
constitution mean?
What does loose interpretation of the
constitution mean?
43
Founding Fathers The Framers of the Constitution wrote a very generalized document.
Purpose?
To allow future Americans flexibility.
Look at Article I, Section 8, Clause 18
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof..
The nick name of this passage is the Elastic Clause.
Can you tell why?
44
Competing interpretations
Who interprets?
The Supreme Court!
How? Strict or literalist
Which Means? The Constitution
means exactly what it says!
Framers had an exact plan
45
Competing interpretations The counterpart of strict
interpretation is?
Loose interpretation
Which means?
Meaning of certain portions
of the Constitution can
stretched to the user’s
needs
1. What is a form of government in which
power is divided between the federal
(national) government and the states?
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