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The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention. Imminent Issues. Political and Economic Problems Arise STATES ARE ACTING INDEPENDENTLY- Pursuing own interests rather than the interests of the nation as a whole No national u nity is sought. Example: Georgia Population= 23,375

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The Constitutional Convention

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  1. The Constitutional Convention

  2. Imminent Issues • Political and Economic Problems Arise • STATES ARE ACTING INDEPENDENTLY- Pursuing own interests rather than the interests of the nation as a whole • No national unity is sought. • Example: Georgia Population= 23,375 Massachusetts Population= 235,308 HOW MANY VOTES UNDER THE AOC DOES EACH STATE RECEIVE?

  3. Imminent Issues • Continental Currency becomes WORTHLESS after the war. • Creditors (lenders of money) want their money back that they lent to the government; want the imposition of high taxes. • High taxes sent many into debt—creditor would sue farmer, then would sell his house, farm, and animals at auction

  4. Daniel Shays • Daniel Shays- 1786 • Aveteran of the Revolutionary War who returns to his farm in western Massachusetts. • When he arrives home, the debt that he had carried was now due. • He faced prison. • He wasn’t the only one… • Farmers petitioned for relief; were dismissed. • Farmers kept demanding the courts be closed.

  5. Discontent Rises • Their discontent boiled over into mob action. • Jan 1787- • Daniel Shays leads a mob of 1,200 farmers to force the courts to close. • State officials call the militia to stop to rebellion • 4 rebels are killed, the rest scattered.

  6. Traitors • What should Massachusetts do to these traitors? • The men of the rebellion surrendered their weapons • Took an oath of loyalty to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Were prohibited from running a tavern, teaching school, holding office or voting for three years. “The man who dares rebel against the laws of a republic ought to suffer death.“ --Sam Adams

  7. Re-Evaluating the AOC • Although the rebellion seemed to be stopped, it was inevitably successful in helping us re-evaluate our new government… Do the Articles of Confederation really work? • Rebellion was happening within their own states! • They needed to make a change… “What a triumph for our enemies, to find we are incapable of governing ourselves” -George Washington

  8. The Constitutional Convention • Need a stronger national government! • We were so afraid of making the government too strong, that we in turn made it far too weak. • September 1786- • James Madison and Alexander Hamilton call a meeting • Only 5 states sent representatives • Decide to call another meeting one year later in Philadelphia • News of Shay’s Rebellion cause 12 states to send delegates to Philadelphia the following year

  9. The Constitutional Convention • May 1787- • Representatives from all states except Rhode Island gather at the State House • Shut all doors and windows despite the heat • 55 delegates show up- lawyers, merchants, planters • Well-educated • Aged approx. 30-40 • Franklin, Hamilton, and Washington attend • Washington is selected as the Convention’s presiding officer.

  10. The Constitutional Convention • Agreed to give up the idea of fixing the Articles of Confederation; decided to make a whole new government in its place. • Needed to change the rights of states, but they feared too strong of a central government • Protect the rights of all men/walks of life (did not want the wealthy to overpower the small farmers) • The convention faced two fundamental questions: • How can we strengthen the national gov’t while preserving the rights of the states? • How can we balance conflicting interests of different groups in society?

  11. Big States vs. Small States • Fair representation needed for big vs. small states • Two Plans: • James Madison’s Virginia Plan- • Voters would elect members of the “lower house,” who would then elect members of the “upper house” – both houses would vote for the U.S. president/judges • William Paterson’s New Jersey Plan- • Each state had an equal vote

  12. Big States vs. Small States • Deadlocked debate- Roger Sherman suggested the “Great Compromise” • Two-house Congress where each state is represented equally in the Senate (upper house), but the size of population would determine each state’s representation in the House of Representatives (lower house).

  13. Representation raised the question of who counts in a state’s population… do slaves count? • Southern delegates want slaves to be counted • Northern delegates argued against this, because they themselves had much fewer slaves

  14. The Three-Fifths Compromise • Three-fifths of a state’s slaves would be counted as part of that state’s population • Settled the political issue, but not the economic issue… • Slaveholders wanted to return to the importation of slaves • The convention gave Congress the right to regulate foreign trade…. • Prevented it from interfering with the slave trade for a minimum of 20 years. • 1808 (earliest date slavery could be outlawed)

  15. The Three-Fifths Compromise • Although this proposal passed, not everyone agreed with the decision… “Twenty years will produce all the mischief that can be apprehended from the liberty to import slaves. So long a term will be more dishonorable to the National character than to say nothing about it in the Constitution.” -- James Madison

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