Standard: 8-3.2 Constitutional Convention - PowerPoint Presentation

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Standard: 8-3.2Constitutional Convention

Philadelphia, PA- May 25-September 17, 1787Slide2

Let’s Think?Slide3

Reasons for a Convention

Called to address problems in governing the U.S.

In 1787- U.S. was operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Great Britain

The Convention was intended to only revise the Articles of Confederation, but James Madison and Alexander Hamilton wanted to create a new government rather than fix the existing one.Slide4

Problems with the Articles of Confederation

Too weak and caused various conflicts between states

Ex: Maryland and Virginia bickered about the Potomac River

Rhode Island’s imposing taxes on all traffic passing through the state on a post road that linked all the states

The Articles of Confederation could only be amended by unanimous vote of the states, any state had effective veto power over any proposed change

Articles gave the weak federal government no taxing power

Wholly dependent on the states for money, and had no power to force delinquent states to pay Slide5

Madison’s Conflicts: April 1787

"It does not provide against foreign attacks."

"It does not secure Harmony to the States."

"It is incapable of producing certain blessings to the States.“

"It cannot defend itself against encroachments."

"It is not superior to State constitutions."

(Referring to the Articles of Confederation)Slide6

To the Convention!

On May 14, 1787 delegates from 12 states met in Philadelphia, PA for a

Grand Convention

to discuss ways to improve the Articles of Confederation

Held in the Philadelphia State House

Many of the Founding Father of the new nation was in attendance

55 delegates in all

Rhode Island, fearing that the Convention would work to its disadvantage, boycotted the Convention entirely in hopes of preventing any change to the Articles.

George Washington was unanimously elected president of the ConventionSlide7

Virginia Plan

Presented by Virginians James Madison and Edmund Randolph

also known as the Large State Plan

On May 29, 1787, proposed a very powerful bicameral legislature

Both houses of the

legislature would be determined proportionately

Lower house would be elected by the people, and upper house would be elected by the lower house

Plan created a judiciary, and gave both the executive and some of the judiciary power to override subjects.Portions of the Virginia Plan was ratified and signed in the Constitution on September 17, 1787.Today Madison is known as the Father of the Constitution because of his proposal of the Virginia Plan.Slide8

S.C. Role: Pinckney Plan

Proposed by Charles Pinckney of S.C. immediately after Randolph finished laying out the VA Plan.

The Plan included a confederation, or treaty, among the 13 states.

Pinckney provided a supreme Federal Judicial Court

Bicameral legislature made up of a Senate and a House of Delegates

The House

would have one member for every one thousand inhabitants

Elect Senators who would serve by rotation for four years and represent one of four regions

Congress

Meet in a joint session to elect a President

Appoint members of the cabinet

In Joint session would serve as the court appeal of last resort in disputes between statesSlide9

Slavery?One of the most controversial issues confronting the delegates was slavery.

Slaves accounted for about 1/5 the population in the colonies (most living in the Southern colonies

 making up about 40% of the population)

Became an issues North vs. South with several Southern states refusing to join the Union if slavery was not allowed

One issues was whether slaves would be counted as part of the population in determining representation in the U.S. Congress

Delegates from states with a

large population

of slaves argued that slaves should be considered persons in determining representation, but as property if the new government were to levy taxes on the states on the basis of population.

Delegates from states were

slavery had disappeared

argued that slaves should be included in taxation, but not in determining representation.

Delegate

Roger Sherman from Conn.

proposed the

Three-Fifths Compromise

and eventually adopted by the

Convention

. Slide10

3/5 Compromise aka: The Great Compromise

Blacks were counted as 3/5th of a person towards taxation and representation.

Since slaves could not vote, slaveholders would have the benefit of increased representation in the House and the Electoral College.

The three-fifths compromise is found in Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 3 of the United States Constitution:

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Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed,

three fifths of all other Persons.

Constitution Article

EffectSlide11
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Commerce CompromiseThe Constitution allows the federal government to tax imports but not exports.

allowed Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce

Northern states wanted the central government to regulate interstate commerce and foreign trade.

The South was afraid that export taxes would be put on agricultural products such as tobacco and rice.Slide13

Drafting

In late July, the Convention appointed a Committee of Detail to draft a document based on the agreements

The Committee of Detail took another month to discuss and refine the draft.

A second Committee, the Committee of Style and Arrangement, produced the final version, which was submitted for signing on September 17, 1787. Slide14

SigningNot all delegates were pleased, some left before the ceremony

Three refused to sign, including Edmund Randolph (VA PLAN)

Of the 39 delegates who did sign, probably no one was completely satisfied.

Their views were summed up by Benjamin Franklin, who said,

"There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them. ... I doubt too whether any other Convention we can obtain, may be able to make a better Constitution. ... It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our enemies..."Slide15

Con’t: 8-3.2

SC’s Role in the State Government