Characteristics of the Delegates to the Constitutional Convention

Characteristics of the Delegates to the Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention • Original purpose of the meeting was to reform (not scrap) the Articles of Confederation • Delegates decided to keep proceedings secret until final Constitution was drafted Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA

Age Average Age: 42 Oldest: 81 Youngest: 26 Jonathon Dayton Ben Franklin

Education Over Half Graduated from College 33 from Ivy League… 9 from Princeton George Clymer James Madison Educated by Uncle Princeton

Occupations Delegates came from a wide variety of backgrounds Artisans Ben Franklin Planters Merchants George Washington Alexander Hamilton Lawyers William Paterson

Government Experience While many delegates had years of experience in state and national politics, others were relative novices. Governors Judges Legislators John Langdon John Blair John Dickinson New Hampshire Virginia Delaware Novices James Wilson Pennslyvannia

States Represented üMassachusetts üMaryland üNew Hampshire üDelaware üConnecticut üVirginia üNew York üNorth Carolina üNew Jersey üSouth Carolina üPennsylvania üGeorgia *Rhode Island Refused to Attend

Competing Plans for the Constitution Virginia Plan • Written by James Madison New Jersey Plan • Introduced by William Paterson • Scrap Articles & create new gov. • Wanted to reform Articles rather than replace them • Bicameral Legislature • Unicameral Legislature based with • Representation based on equal representation for each state population • Lower house elected by people & Upper house chosen by lower Connecticut (Great) Compromise v. Bicameral Legislature with representation in House of Representatives based on population and two representatives per state in the Senate

Constitutional Compromises 3/5 Compromise Slaves count as 3/5 of a person for taxation and representation Commerce Compromise Congress cannot tax exports, but it can tax imports. Congress cannot ban the slave trade until 1808 Democracy vs. Stability House of Representatives to be directly elected by people, but President and Senate to be indirectly elected. Strength of Executive Branch President elected to 4 year terms with limits on his power through checks & balances