The Convening of the Constitution Convention May 1787

The Convening of the Constitution Convention May, 1787 Philadelphia _____, Pennsylvania

Strengths… Independence • Winning the American war for ______ • Negotiating the Treaty of Paris of 1783 ______ • NORTHWEST ORDINANCE OF 1787 and the Ordinance of 1787 which provided a way for Territories ______ to become equal states and established that slavery would NOT exist in Indiana Illinois the western territories of ____, _______, Ohio and ______.

Weaknesses Executive No _____ Tax No power to ______ No authority to create national army States No ability to solve conflicts among ______ No national courts 9 Requiring that ___/13 states had to agree to pass a law 13 • Requiring that ___/13 states had to agree to any change to the Articles of Confederation • • •

So what does this mean in real life?

Shays’ Rebellion • Daniel Shays was a hero from war whose land was being repossessed. • Monies given to Shays and other soldiers was worthless. Still owed by national government. • Shays and farmers loyal to him and in debt blockaded the court house so that no legal proceedings could occur. • For 5 months, they held the government at bay until finally being defeated early in 1787.

Shay’s Rebellion “I predict the worst consequences from a half-starved, limping government, always moving upon crutches and tottering at every step…I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation without having lodged somewhere a power which will pervade the whole Union in as energetic a manner as the authority of the state governments extends over the several states. ” George Washington “…if the present paroxysm of our affairs be totally neglected, our case may become desperate. ” James Madison

Shay’s Rebellion Feelings of Founding Fathers “I am mortified beyond expression when I view the clouds that have spread over the brightest morn that ever dawned in any country…What a triumph for the advocates of despotism, to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves and that systems founded on the basis of equal liberty are merely ideal and fallacious. ” George Washington “Rebellion against a kin may be pardoned, or lightly punished, but the man who date to rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death. ” Sam Adams “A little rebellion now and then is a good thing. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government. God forbid that we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. ” Thomas Jefferson

Pennsylvania State House Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Early in 1787, Congress adopted a resolution in favor of this proposal and invited the 13 states to send representatives to Philadelphia in May “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. ”

Participants George Washington elected unanimously to serve as chairman of the proceedings. James Madison Benjamin Franklin John Dickinson Elbridge Gerry Alexander Hamilton Gouverneur Morris William Patterson Edmund Randolph Roger Sherman plus 45 others “this was a convention of the well-bred, the well-fed, the well -read, and the well-wed. ” James Mac. Gregor Burns Attributes of participants: • Early 40 s in age • Wealthy • Established families • Well educated • Planters, large-scale farmers, lawyers, and state officeholders • Over a third owned slaves

Who Wasn’t There? Thomas Jefferson was in France negotiating trade agreements. John Adams was in England representing American interests. Thomas Paine Sam Adams Patrick Henry refused to attend saying he “smelt a rat. ”

Your Task • Is to create a business card representing one of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention to share with your classmates in a role play. • Your card must contain the following information about your representative: 1. Name 2. Home state with city if possible 3. Job 4. A symbol that represents your personality 5. Position on the role of government: Are you a federalist or anti-federalist? What kind of government do you want to form?

Example Name of participant Home Address Occupation/Job Symbol of personality Position on government: FEDERALIST or ANTI-FEDERALIST Education (optional) Marriage/Kids (optional) Other information (optional) Benjamin Franklin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Printer, Inventor, Scientist Efficiency is a must. The Articles must go, and a stronger government must be created if we are to survive.

Two Ideas Take Shape Virginia Plan New Jersey Plan • Edmund Randolph • 3 branches of government: legislative with 2 houses, one elected by people and determined by population of state, one elected by state legislatures; an executive chosen by the national legislature; and a federal judicial system to oversee cases involving foreigners, citizens from different states. Term limits for executive and legislative representatives • William Paterson • 1 branch of government but with statement that National Congress has supremacy over the state legislatures. Each state would be equal and have one vote regardless of its population size.

Questions to Consider • How should the problem of representation be in Congress be solved? Should it be based on population? Should there be an equal number of representatives from each state? • How should slaves be counted in each state’s population? • Should slave trading be permitted? • How should the issue of runaway slaves be addressed? Pass out questions A -D

The result was the Constitution we use even today! And NO, there was NO Bill of Rights!