The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention Complete Unit Guide Packet Overview The Constitutional Convention took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia. Although the Convention was intended to revise the league of states and first system of government under the Articles of Confederation, the intention from the outset of many of its proponents, chief among them James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York, was to create a new government rather than fix the existing one. The delegates elected George Washington of Virginia to become President of the Convention. Several broad outlines were proposed and debated, most notably Madison’s Virginia Plan and William Paterson’s New Jersey Plan. While the concept of a federal government with three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) and the general role of each branch was not heavily disputed, several issues delayed further progress and put the success of the Convention in doubt. The most contentious disputes revolved around the composition and election of the Senate as the upper legislative house of a bicameral Congress; whether "proportional representation" was to be defined by a state's geography or by its population, and whether enslaved men and women were to be counted. Additional debates took place on the executive branch, a fugitive slave clause, and whether to allow the abolition of the slave trade. Progress was slow until mid-July, when the Connecticut (Great) Compromise resolved enough lingering arguments for a draft written by the Committee of Detail to gain acceptance. After several more issues were resolved, the Committee on Style produced the final version in early September. It was voted on and then signed by 39 of 55 delegates on September 17, 1787. The completed Constitution was then released to the public to begin the debate and ratification process. The anonymously published Federalist Papers provided background and justification for its ratification. Some states agreed to ratify only if a Bill of Rights would be added and this was proposed in the first session of the First Congress. By September 1788, 11 states had ratified the new Constitution and the new government began on March 4, 1789. Essential Questions a) What are the major debates that shaped the terms of a congress ? representation in congress the powers of the president , how to elect the president slave trade and bill of rights . b) What compromises were necessary to produce the Constitution? the great compromise , the three-fifths compromise and the electoral college . c) What roles did James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington play at the Convention? advocating for a strong federal government and were instrumental in drafting the constitution. d) How does the Constitution distribute power in terms of checks and balances and separation of powers? establishes three separate but equal branches of government the legislative (makes the law ) the executive (it enforces the law ) and the judicial branch(that implements the law ) e) What were the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists during the ratification debates? Anti federalists argued for the value of limited central government f) How did the Bill of Rights resolve the concerns of some of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention? By adding the bills of rights the constitution was able to ensure that the rights of the people and the states were protected and respected g) How have the beliefs and ideals found in the Constitution changed or remained the same through America's development? The U.S constitution has been amended to reflect the changing needs and values of the American people . h) How is the Constitution a living document? The constitution is known as a living document because it can be amended Vocabulary Directions: For each vocabulary term, write a definition in your own words in the space provided. Articles of Confederation meeting of delegates in 1781 to revise the articles of confederation which produced the new US constitution Philadelphia Convention A convention of delegates from all the states except rhode island met in philadelphia Virginia Plan outlined a strong national government with three branches the legislative the executive and the judiciary New Jersey Plan designed to protect the security and power of the small states Great Compromise An agreement reached during the 1787 constitutional convention that established a bicameral legislature for the united states 3/5’s Compromise it is an agreement made during the drafting of the US constitution where enslaved people would be counted as three fourths of a person when determining a state’s population for representation in congress and taxation purpose Federalism a system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government Federalist Papers a collection of 85 essays written by alexander hamilton john jay and james madison to support the ratification of the united states constitution Bill of Rights the first ten amendments to the constitution 👍 Geography of the Northwest Territory Directions: Great Britain yielded the land west of the Appalachian Mountains in the Treaty of Paris. The Land Ordinance of 1785 described how the US would sell this land to private citizens. The Northwest Ordinance formally created the Northwest Territory, the first organized territory of the United States, and established the method for admitting new states to the Union. Congress specified that 3-5 territories would be carved out of the Northwest Territory. For each territory, Congress appoints a governor, a secretary, and three judges. When a territory’s population reaches 5,000 free male inhabitants of voting age, it elects a territorial legislature and sends a nonvoting delegate to Congress. Once a territory’s population increases to 60,000 free inhabitants, it becomes eligible for statehood and can draft a state constitution. Congress approves the state constitution, and the territory becomes a state. How was the process in which the Northwest Territories became states different from how the 13 Colonies became states? the northwest territories became states through a structured process outlined by the northwest ordinance of 2787 which required a territory to reach a certain population before applying for statehood while the 13 colonies gained statehood through a revolutionary war amd subsequent declaration of independence