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Compromises of the Constitutional Convention Study Guide
1. What are the five W’s of the
Constitutional Convention?
2. What are the issues of the five
compromises that we’ve discussed?
Who: 55 delegates from the 13 states
When: May 25-September 17, 1787
Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
What: A meeting to discuss and fix the Articles of
Confederation
Why: In it’s shorts history, the AOC proved
ineffective (lacked many powers). Also, Shays’
Rebellion was a trigger to this movement to fix the
AOC
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Great Compromise=representation in Congress
3/5 Compromise=representation in Congress
Protective Tariffs=economy and slave trade
Legislative Branch=how much power to give it
Executive Branch=how much power to give it
New Jersey Plan=sponsored by William Patterson,
called for a one-house Congress. Representation
would be equal among all states, regardless of
population.
3. What were the details of the New
Jersey Plan? Who supported this plan?
The small states supported this plan.
Virginia Plan=sponsored by James Madison, called
for a two-house Congress. Representation would
be based on population in both houses.
4. What were the details of the Virginia
Plan? Who supported this plan?
The large states supported this plan.
5. What was the plan that resolved the
issues between the New Jersey Plan and
the Virginia Plan? What were the key
features of this plan?
The Great (Connecticut Compromise)=sponsored by
Roger Sherman, created a two-house Congress.
The Senate (upper house) would have equal
representation among all states. The House of
Representatives (lower house) would have
representation based on population.
Proportional representation=states with more
people would have more representation in
Congress
6. Define proportional representation and
equal representation.
7. Why did the Southern states “need”
slave labor?
8. Did the Northern states depend on
slave labor? Why or why not?
Equal Representation=each state would have the
same number of representatives regardless of
population
Their economy was based on agriculture and
depended on slave labor. Farmers owned large
plantations that required a lot of labor involuntary,
slave labor was better to the bottom line than
hiring paid labor.
No, the northern economy was more diverse than
the southern economy. People worked, in addition
to farming, in fishing, banking, business, and
manufacturing.
Taxes on products imported from other nations
which increase their cost.
9. Define protective tariffs. Did the north
or south support these? Why?
Supported, because they were in direct competition
with Britain and these would allow them to remain
competitive.
The north said that it would not get involved with
the slave trade for 20 years (until 1808) and the
south gave the north the power to tax imports.
10. Explain how the North and South
compromised over the issues of slavery
and protective tariffs?
Slaves that escaped to other states must be
returned to their owners.
11. Explain the fugitive slave clause.
Where will you find this in the
Constitution?
12. Why were the Framers of the
Constitution concerned about giving the
legislative branch of government too
MUCH power?
Article IV
They had a bad experience with the English
Parliament taxing them excessively and taking away
their rights without their consent.
13. Why were the Framers of the
Constitution concerned about giving the
legislative branch of government too
LITTLE power?
14. Explain the general welfare clause and
the necessary and proper clause.
They had a bad experience under the Articles of
Confederation with the legislative branch not
having enough power. As a result, the national
government was ineffective and weak.
general welfare clause-says Congress can enact
laws that will promote the well-being of the
governed
necessary and proper clause-Congress can do
whatever is “necessary and proper” to carry out its
powers given to it by Article I
The Framers created a strong legislative branch that
could raise taxes, build armies, check the power of
the president, make laws, etc.
15. Did the Framers create a strong or
weak legislative branch? Explain.
16. How did the Framers use the
legislative branch to check the powers of
the President?
Congress:
*must approve all presidential appointments and
treaties
*only Congress can declare war
*Congress can override a presidential veto
*Congress can impeach the president
Some at the Convention felt that the common
American couldn’t be trusted to elect the president.
17. What were some of the issues over
how the President should be selected?
18. What is the Electoral College?
19. What were some of the important
decisions the Framers made when creating
the judicial branch?
Some felt that a true democracy would allow the
people to elect their president
This is the way in which we elect our president.
There are 538 members of the Electoral College
(100 Senators, 435 members of the House of
Representatives, and 3 Representatives from D.C.
The actual congressman are not members-the
number of votes in the electoral college equal the
number of congressman. Each state has the same
number of E.C. votes as Congressman. The
presidential candidate that wins each state gets
that states Electoral Votes. *need 270 to win
The Judicial Branch:
*judges would be appointed for life to stay above
the atmosphere of politics
*Courts would be established to settle disputes
between states and between citizens of different
states.
*The Supreme Court would be the most powerful
Court in the country, with final say in decisions.
The three branches of government have different
powers and responsibilities. To ensure that no one
branch becomes too powerful, there is a system of
checks and balances on each branches powers.
20. Briefly explain how the separation of
powers among the three branches works?