Sec. ed. 337 road to the constitution

Failure of Articles of Confederation

State governments too powerful:–Power to tax–Power to regulate trade–Power to dictate policy to national

government–Power to raise militia

Need For a Stronger National Government

• Great Britain was waiting for the United States to fail• Large states taking advantage of small

states• Jealousy kept states from working

together• U-N-I-T-E-D STATES was not united

Solution

Government officials realized after Shays’ Rebellion that a change was needed

A convention of representatives from each state were called to Philadelphia in 1787

STATEHOUSE IN PHILADELPHIASITE OF THE CONVENTION

INSIDE OF STATEHOUSE (TODAY)SITE OF THE CONVENTION

There were 74 men asked to come to Philadelphia but only delegates arrived in Philadelphia

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

The average age of a delegate was 44 years old

JONATHAN DAYTON (New Jersey) was the youngest at age 26

BEN FRANKLIN (Pennsylvania) was the oldest at age 81

Most had some experience as politicians in their home states

40 of the delegates had been members of the Continental Congress

34 of the 55 were lawyers

Also included soldiers, planters, educators, ministers, physicians, financiers, and merchants

Most were very wealthy and many owned slaves

All the delegates were white men

None of the delegates were African-Americans, Hispanic, women, poor

Guidelines for the Convention

•Work of the Convention would remain a secret

•White, highly educated, successful men with political experience would be sent

•A majority vote was required on an issue

•George Washington would preside over the Convention

Problems at the Convention

•Small States and Large State cannot agree on representation;

•Northern States and Southern States cannot agree on the issue of slavery;

•Federalist and Anti-Federalist cannot agree on the power of the National Government:

The Publishing and Ratification Signed on

September 17, 1787

Sent to each state to ratify

Became the law of the land on June 21, 1788 with New Hampshire ratifying it as the 9th state out of 13