The United States of America Constitutional Convention 1

The United States of America Constitutional Convention 1

Vocabulary Convention An assembly of people meeting to attain same goal 2

Vocabulary Compromise A settlement where both sides give u something in order to reach an agreem 3

Vocabulary Delegate A person authorized to reach an agreem for 1 or more persons 4

The Constitutional Convention Held in Philadelphia Began May of 1787 Ended September 1787 Delegates selected by state legislatures Men of great ability attended the meeting Most had fought in the Revolutionary War All the men had power & influence 55 delegates attended 5

George Washington • President of the convention • Great leader in the Revolutionary War 6

Purpose of the Convention Revise the Articles of Confederation The group quickly decided to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new plan 7

Delegates at the Convention Benjamin Franklin from Pennsylvania oldest delegate at 81 Jonathan Dayton from New Jersey Youngest delegate at 26 8

Delegates at the Convention • Rhode Island refused to send delegates • John Adams & Thomas Jefferson were absent because they were in Europe serving as Ambassadors (representatives of our country) 9

Most Serious Task of Convention • Achieve a balanace between liberty & authority • Many opinions and viewpoints represented at the convention from 13 colonies • Compromise became the most valuable tool to represent ALL Americans 10

Final Results • Lasted over 200 years! • From 1787 to NOW • Without the compromise the government would hav collapsed 11

Concerns about the Legislature • Who would control the new government? • Would it be the small states or large states? (this threatened to destroy the convention) • How would the states be represented? 12

2 Major Plans Proposed Virginia Plan (supported by states with large populations) New Jersey Plan (supported by states with small populations) 13

Virginia Plan • Proposed by the states with large populations • Number of congressmen would be determined by the population of the state 14

Important Parts of the Plan Virginia Would be BICAMERAL houses) (having 2 Would be called Congress 1 st house would be elected by the people 2 nd house would be elected house st by the 1 15

New Jersey Plan Proposed by states with small populations Number of congressmen would be determined by equality (every state with 1 vote) 16

Important Parts of the Jersey Plan Would be UNICAMERAL 1 house) New (having Would be called Congress Each state would have the same number of representatives (equality) (this would suggest smaller states would be equal to the larger states) 17

Question to be Resolved by The Great Compromise How to set-up the lawmaking body of our government 18

Great Compromise of 1787 • A combination of the New Jersey & Virginia Pla • 1 st House called the House of Representatives – Elected by the people of the states – Serve a 2 year plan – Number of representatives would be determined by the population of the state – Pleased the large states 19

Great Compromise of 1787 • 2 nd House called the Senate – Elected by the state legislatures from the 1 st House – Serve a 6 year term – Each state would have 2 senators no matter what size of the state (based on equality) – Pleased the small states 20

Due to the Great Compromise Both sides got some of what they wanted Representatives chosen by population Senators chosenequality by 21