The Constitution

1. US History Standards: SSUSH5 The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation of the United States Constitution. a. Explain how weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and Daniel Shays’ Rebellion led to a call for a stronger central government. b. Evaluate the major arguments of the anti-Federalists and Federalists during the debate on ratification of the Constitution as put forth in The Federalist concerning form of government, factions, checks and balances, and the power of the executive, including the roles of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. c. Explain the key features of the Constitution, specifically the Great Compromise, separation of powers, limited government, and the issue of slavery. The Constitution

2. One of the biggest problems of the Articles of Confederation was trade between the states that led to quarrels over taxes and disagreements about navigation rights • To address this problem, James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York called for a meeting to address the problems of the Articles of Confederation, held in Annapolis, MD in 1786 • Only five states sent delegates to this convention, so the delegates decided to call for another meeting the next year in Philadelphia Constitutional Convention Above: James Madison Below: Alexander Hamilton

3. The news of Shay’s Rebellion convinced 12 of the 13 states to send delegates • The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in May 1787 • First action: George Washington elected unanimously as President of the Congress – this was by far the easiest thing they did • Major decision to be made: should they amend the Articles or abandon them and work on something new? Constitutional convention Independence Hall, Philadelphia

4. How would fair representation be given to large and small states? • How would slaves be counted towards the overall population of a state? • How would the powers of the national government be limited so that they didn’t gain too much power over the states? • How would the government keep any one person or group of people from gaining too much power? Disagreements at the convention

5. Called for the creation of a bicameral national legislature • Members would be sent in proportion to population 1. Congress would have right to tax and regulate foreign and interstate commerce 2. national legislature could veto anything from state legislature 3. government would have legislative, judicial, and executive branch 4. would create stronger national government Virginia Plan

6. opposition to the Virginia Plan came from small states who would have less representatives 1. Congress would have right to tax and regulate foreign and interstate commerce 2. government would have legislative, judicial, and executive branch 3. would give each state an equal vote in a unicameral Congress 4. would keep states stronger than the national government New Jersey Plan

7. created a legislative branch made of two houses: • the Senate would give each state an equal number of representatives • the House of Representatives gave seats based on a state’s population • approved on July 16, 1787 The Great Compromise

9. What goes in the blank box?

10. When counting a state’s population, how would slaves be counted? • Counting slaves would give Southern states a huge advantage • Finally agreed that 3/5 of slaves would be counted Three-Fifths Compromise

12. Final Draft of the Constitution was approved on September 17, 1787