AG 2.C

American Government Unit II Part C: The Creation of the Constitution

Work on the Constitution Wraps up

The Connecticut Compromise

The Constitutional Convention Begins

With those two big obstacles out of

the way, the constitution could be completed.

The document was signed on

September 17th, 1787. 9 of the 13 states were needed to ratify the constitution.

Just because it was complete however,

did not mean that it would automatically become law.

A new debate raged over whether to

ratify it or not in most states.

The Constitutional Convention was split on

the issue of population and representation, almost disbanded until a compromise was struck.

The Connecticut Compromise: Said

Senate/Upper House would have equal representation and House of Representatives/Lower House would use population to determine members.

Small and big states accepted the idea and

moved onto slavery.

Constitutional Convention: Meeting held in

Philadelphia in the summer of1787 that led to the creation of a new government for the U.S.

The Framers: The men who wrote the U'S'

Constitution in Philadelphia during the summer of 1787, with James Madison being the most influential

They originally met to fix the Articles of

Confederation but it was so flawed that the Framers decided to scrap them.

Slavery as an Obstacle

Virginia Plan vs New Jersey Plan

Slavery also threatened to tear the

convention apart. Northern States didn't like it and southerners said it was vital.

Three-Fifths Compromise: Slaves would

count as 3/5 a person when determining a state's population

The Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise:

Southern states agreed to give the US government right to regulate slave trade in exchange for guarantees not to tax any states exports and allow slave trade to continue for 20 more years

Virginia Plan: 1st plan reveled at the

convention, called for 3 branches of government, separation of powers, bicameral legislature where states had representation by population and wealth, and national government with broad powers.

The New Jersey Plan: called for

unicameral legislature with all states getting one vote.

The Constitution is Finally Ratified

Federalists vs Anti-Federalists

The Convention Unfolds

Both sides competed in every state to

convince the masses.

Although it was close in most states,

the federalists finally won out. Once New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it in June 1788 the Constitution went into effect.

The 1st Congress met in March 1789

and Washington was elected 1st president shortly afterward. Our current US Government was finally in effect.

George Washington was appointed

leader of the convention, and the 55 delegates form 12 states got started in creating a new national government

There was an initial divide at the

convention between states with large populations and states with small populations

Two opposing plans circulated about

how they should continue

The battle over ratification was waged in

newspapers & in books between 2 groups

The Federalists: Wanted Constitution ratified,

notable figures were Alexander Hamilton & James Madison

The Federalist Papers: Book of essays written

by Hamilton and Madison to convince each state to ratify the Constitution.

The Anti-Federalists: Against the ratification

because it created a national government with too much power. Notable figures included John Hancock, Patrick Henry, and Samuel Adams (not that one). They tried to convince the people not to support the Constitution.