HW REVIEW
P.247
CREATING THE CONSTITUTION
*********1. Explain the importance of:
Constitutional Convention1787 meeting at which the U.S. Constitution was created.
Founderspeople who helped create the U.S. Constitution.
James MadisonProminent adviser to the Constitutional Convention.
Sometimes known as the “Father of the Constitution”.
Legislative branchGovernment department that makes laws.
Virginia Planproposal for a two-house legislature with representation according to each state’s
population or wealth.
Checks & balancesthe ability of each branch of government to exercise checks, or controls, over the other
branches.
New Jersey Planproposal for a legislature in which each state would have one vote.
Great Compromiseagreement to establish a two-house national legislature, with all states having equal
representation in 1 house and each state having representation based on its population in the
other house.
Executive branchgovernment department that enforces laws.
Judicial branchgovernment department that interprets laws.
Three-fifths Compromiseagreement that 3/5’s of a state’s slave population would be counted for representation
and taxation.
2. SUMMARIZE THE IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE CONSTITUTION.
CREATING THE CONSTITUTION
Promoting trade among the states.
Give the national government enough power to deal with other nations.
Set up a system of checks and balances which kept any one branch from getting too strong.
Set up a compromise that was acceptable to large and small states.
3. WHAT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ANNAPOLIS CONVENTION AND THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION?
Delegates at the Annapolis Convention wanted to create national trade laws, which led to the
call for a national convention-- this then turned into the “Constitutional Convention”.
4. WHY DID THE VIRGINIA DELEGATES INSIST THAT THE NEW GOVERNMENT HAVE 3
BRANCHES?
The Virginia Plan:
3 Branches to the government:
Executive- enforce the laws
Judicial- interpret the laws
Legislative- create the laws
*******They wanted a government that would be strong enough to protect the
people’s rights, but not so strong to oppress them.
*******Each of the 3 branches would act as a check (limit) on the power of the
other branches.
5. UNDER THE THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE, HOW WOULD EACH STATE’S
POPULATION BE DECIDED?
By counting all of a state’s free population, plus ⅗ of the slave population.
6. WHY DID SUPPORTERS OF THE VIRGINIA PLAN BELIEVE THEIR PLAN WAS THE
BEST WAY TO CREATE A NEW GOVERNMENT?
In their plan, the government protected the rights of states and individuals, yet also
functioned as a strong national government.