the constitutional convention

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SECTION 2
THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION
TEXT SUMMARY
In 1787 delegates from almost all the
states met in Philadelphia at the
Constitutional Convention to revise
the national government. Some wanted
to amend, or revise, the Articles of
Confederation and others wanted a whole
new plan. Two plans arose, the Virginia
Plan and the New Jersey Plan, which differed over the issue of representation. It
was settled by the Great Compromise
that there would be a bicameral legislature.
The House of Representatives would have
representatives based on state population.
The Senate would have two senators from
each state. The delegates also settled on
the Three-fifths Compromise, which
allowed three fifths of a state’s slave population to be counted toward representation.
The Constitution created a federal
system of government in which states
and the national government share powers. The Constitution called for a separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Each branch has its own area of authority, but no branch has complete control.
A system of checks and balances also
gives one branch of government the
authority to stop, or check, the
other branches.
T H E BIG I D E A
The Constitution also created
During the summer
the office of the President with
of 1787, delegates to
the power to veto, or prohibit,
the Constitutional
an act of Congress from becomConvention wrote
ing law. The President would
the United States
be elected by the Electoral
Constitution.
College. The Constitution also
provided for a Supreme Court.
GRAPHIC SUMMARY: The Three Branches of Government
The system of checks and balances keeps any one branch from becoming too powerful.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How did the Great Compromise
resolve the issue of representation?
© Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice-Hall.
2. Diagram Skills How can the
President limit the power of
Congress?
Guide to the Essentials
CHAPTER 5
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