Transcript K. Fri. Sept. 6--PP--CONSTITUTION IN A NUTSHELL

Constitutional Convention
When:
May-Sept. 1787
Where:
Philadelphia,
PA
Main Controversy #1:
How many
votes should
each state
get in the
new national
government
(that is,
Congress)?
Main Controversy #1:
How many votes should each state get
in the new Congress?
Big states
Virginia
Pennsylvania
Massachusetts
Wanted vote based
on population
Small states
Delaware
Georgia
Connecticut
Wanted each state
to have one vote
Solution: Created a Congress
with Two Parts (two “houses”)
Part #1: The House of
Representatives
(based on population)
Part #2: The Senate
(2 votes per state)
Senate
House of
Representatives
California
2
53
Alaska
2
1
Main Controversy #2:
Should slavery be legal under
the new government?
Northern states
Wanted to end slavery
Southern states
Wanted to allow the
continuation of slavery
“Solution”: Allowed Slavery to
Continue Unchanged
• Regarding
representation in
Congress, a slave
would count as 3/5
of a person
Why did the northern states
cave?
To keep the new nation together
Okay, so in its
simplest form, the
Constitution boils
down to this…..
The Preamble:
We the people of the United States of America,
in order to form a more perfect union,
establish justice,
insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.
Article I
• Article I: The Legislative Branch
• Creates bicameral Congress:
--House of Representatives (based on
population)
--U.S. Senate (2 per state)
Article II
• Article II : The Executive Branch
• Creates a strong president
• Election through the Electoral College
What is the Electoral College?
• Method spelled out in the Constitution for
how we elect the president
• “Popular vote” is indirectly, not directly
used
Electoral College Game
• Each state has a “point” value (# of U.S.
Representatives from that state + # of U.S.
Senators from that state)
• Example:
California 53 Representatives + 2 Senators = 55 Electoral
Votes
9 Electoral
Alabama 7 Representatives + 2 Senators =
Votes
Electoral College Game
continued
Whichever candidate gets more popular
votes in a state gets ALL that state’s
electoral votes (points)
Whichever candidate gets 270 electoral
votes (points) WINS!
2004 Electoral College Map
Kerry (Blue)--251 Bush (Red)--286
Why did the Founding Fathers
set it up this way?
• Poor Communication
• Mistrust of the people
Article III
• Article III: The Judicial Branch
• Creates Supreme Court and other federal
courts
2 Ways the Constitution
Divides Up Power
•Checks & Balances
•Federalism
“Checks & Balances” Triangle
“Checks & balances”
Federalism—Dividing Power Between
National Govt and State Governments
Anti-Federalists Arguments Against
the Constitution
1. Gives WAY too much power to national
government
2.Too much emphasis on property rights, not
enough on individual rights
3.Won’t work in such a large nation
4. It’s a dangerous experiment/never been tried
5. Power in the hands of a very few people
Ratification
Federalists – James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton, John Jay
Federalists Arguments in Favor
of Constitution
1.Stronger central government needed to
maintain order, stability
2.Built in checks and balances will prevent
abuse of power
3.This plan of government will actually work
better in a big country by not allowing one
“faction” to take control
A “Bundle of Compromises”
Ex. #1 - The “Great” Compromise