Chapter 5 “Creating a Constitution”
I. The Constitutional Convention
A. Agreements & Disagreements
a) Agreements
i.) A national government was needed
ii.) Need to guard against an abuse of power
iii.) Separation of Powers idea for govt.
b) Disagreements
i.) How many representatives should each state have in national
government?
ii.) How much power should be given to national govt?
B. Getting Organized
a) Philadelphia: PA state House in 1787
1) Washington is Selected
a) Selected George Washington as presiding officer (President) of the
convention
b) Washington’s popularity to keep convention on course
2) Setting the Rules
a) keep discussions secret
i.) delegates feared that they would not feel free to change their
minds if reported to papers
ii.) Good for all states instead of home
b) No one to remove notes
c) Discussions take place in meeting hall
d) All doors & windows kept shut
3) Other Rules
a) Voting rights
i.) Each state had 1 vote
b) Debated rules allowed everyone to be heard
i.) Not to whisper, pass notes, or read while another delegate is
speaking
c) met 6 days a week 10-4pm
C. Madison’s Plan
a) Voted not revise Articles of Confederation
b) New plan of government needed
c) James Madison proposed the Virginia plan
i.) strong national government
ii.) 3 branches of government: legislature, executive, judicial
iii.) Legislative: 2 parts (House of Representatives, Senate)
iv.) House of Rep.: people directly elected members
v.) Senate: elected by House
vi) # of representatives based on state’s population
d) Delegates feared Madison’s plan the national government would be too
strong and take away powers of state legislatures
D. Sharing Power
a) Delegates feared a strong national government would abuse its power
(Like England did to colonies
b) Argued over how much power
c) Issue to abolish slave trade
i.) Stop slave trade in 1808
E. Reaching Compromise
1) Virginia and New Jersey Plans
a) Small states feared large states would out vote them in VA Plan
b) New Jersey Plan proposed by William Paterson
i.) one-house legislature
ii.) equal number of votes
2) Great Compromise-proposed by Roger Sherman
a) Bicameral legislature
i.) House of Representatives number of reps based on state’s
population
ii.) Senate-each state had 2 senators (equal)
b) Delegates approved plan
3) Ensuring fairness
a) all laws approved by both houses
b) ensure that fair laws passed
4) Three Fifths Compromise
F. Executive and Judicial Branches
a) No executive or judicial branches under Articles
b) President given executive power
i.) Broad definition of the powers and duties of President
c) Created a supreme Court
i.) authority to interpret laws
ii.) settle conflicts between states
1) A government by the People?
a) Delegates argued who should elect President and Congress
b) Direct election by people or state legislatures
c) Direct election because it would take into the account the opinions of
the people
2) Voting and Elections
a) All eligible citizens to vote white men with property
i.) All eligible citizens to vote white men with property
b) State legislatures select Senators
c) Electoral College select President
G. The Signing
a) Philadelphia: Sept. 17, 1787 Constitution signed by 39 delegates
b) Delegates of Constitution Convention call the “Framers”