From Confederation to Federal Union

Chapter 5 Section 2Essential Question: How did the

Constitution form to what is today’s federal government?

Constitutional Convention• Delegates from all

states was called in Philadelphia to rewrite the Articles of Confederation

• May 14, 1787• Most delegates

were wealthy and well educated

Virginia Plan• Edmund Randolph of Virginia

purposed this plan

• Shifted political power away from the states and toward the central government.

• Idea of Federalism- division of powers between a strong central government and the state governments.

Virginia Plan• Called for Federal Government

to be made up of three branches–Executive

–Judicial

–Legislative

• Legislature would be bicameral–Made up of two houses

Virginia Plan• The Virginia Plan purposed that

representation would be made in the following way:– Voters would elect representatives to the

lower house, who would then choose members of the upper house

– State populations would determine the number of representative in each house.

New Jersey Plan• William Paterson

purposed the New Jersey Plan

• This provided for a strong unicameral (or one house) legislature

• Each state would have

one vote in

representation

The Great Compromise• Neither the Virginia Plan or

the New Jersey Plan was completely accepted by the delegates

• Roger Sherman purposed a plan for the following:– Two house legislature– Allow for both equal

representation and representation based on population

The Great Compromise• Granted each state regardless

of size, an equal voice in the upper house–Which house is this?

• In the lower house, representation would be according to population–Which house is this?

Three Fifths Compromise

A debate over whether slaves

should be counted as part

of a state's population to

determine representation.

Three Fifths Compromise• This issue split the northern and

southern states because this was a personal issue to both states

• The final accepted compromise was established that only three fifths of a state’s slave population would count in determining its representation.

Compromises over Commerce • Northern delegates favored giving the

national government the power to regulate all trade with foreign nations and among the states

• Southern economy depended on exports of rice, tobacco, and other products to Europe and to the northern states

• Southerners feared that if the national government imposed tariffs or taxes on imports and exports, overseas buyers would have to pay more for the southerner agricultural products.

Commerce Compromise

Delegates finally agreed that Congress could levy tariffs on

imports but not on exports.

Slave Trade• Planters worried

that Congress might use its power to tax imports to restrict the slave trade

• Delegates voted to permit the importation of slaves until the end of 1807.

Ratification of the Constitution

• Each state had to ratify or approve the Constitution

• This process brought two sides to this debate:– Federalists- who were for a strong central

(federal) government– Anti-federalists- who were for afraid of a

strong central (federal) government

Federalists• Wealthy, merchants, planters, and

lawyers• Thought that a strong central

government would ensure a strong currency and protect property rights

• Published their arguments for the Constitution in The Federalist Papers.

• Their leaders were: John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison

Anti-federalists• Claimed the Constitutional Convention had

gone too far with rewriting the Articles of Confederation

• States rights would be destroyed by this Constitution

• The Constitution resembled a Monarchy

• Election procedures (electors-electoral college) did not let the people select the president.

Bill of Rights• The U.S. Constitution did not

contain a bill of rights, or a document describing the civil liberties, or individual rights, that a government promises its citizens.

• Anti-Federalists agreed to ratify the Constitution if a Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution.