Transcript Constitutional Convention 1787

Constitutional Convention
1787
Philadelphia
Site of a convention called for the “sole
and expressed purpose of revising the
Articles of Confederation”
The Delegates
• 55 members of the Convention
• Represented only about 10% of the American
population (90% being small farmers, city
workers, and frontiersmen)
• Notable Absentees
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Patrick Henry “smelled a rat”
Thomas Jefferson – Paris
John Adams – London
The state of Rhode Island was not represented
The Delegates (con’t)
• The 55 men were primarily lawyers,
landed, bankers, merchants
• Most had moderate to extensive political
experience
• Reflected business and property interests
• Well educated in history, law, government
The Delegates (con’t)
• Outstanding Leadership
– Washington – served as President of the Convention
– Franklin – wisdom, respect, prestige, and clout to the
preceding
– Alexander Hamilton – advocated a strong central
government; pushed hard for the abolishment of
confederation government
– James Madison – Father of the Constitution
• Scholar of government
• Madison’s notes are invaluable to understanding the creation
of the Constitution (only holistic primary source)
Points of Agreement Among the
Delegates
• The Articles of Confederation were inadequate – must be
replaced
• An executive leader/ independent judiciary were
necessary/ also a national legislature
• National government must have the power to tax, control
interstate and foreign trade
• New government must have sole power to print money
and raise a national, standing army
• Must be able to act directly with the people not indirectly
through the states
• Agreed that the creation of a new government must be:
– Strong enough to command respect from foreign countries
– Restrained enough to avoid tyranny (protect citizens liberties and
private property)
Constitutional Compromises
• The Great Compromise
– Tackled the issue of representation
• Resulted from the merging of the New Jersey and
Virginia Plans
• Bicameral legislature
– House based on population of each state
» Number determined by census taken every 10 years
– Senate based on equal representation (2 per state)
Constitutional Compromises
• Three Fifths Compromise
– Northern Proposal
• Slaves would be taxable property
• Slaves would not be included in census counts
– Southern Proposal
• Slaves be counted in census to increase
population counts (as a result, more representation
in the House)
• Slaves would not be counted as taxable property
Constitutional Compromises
• Three Fifths Compromise
– Three fifths (60%) of a state’s slave
population would count for taxation purposes
as well as census counts
– The remaining two fifths (40%) would not be
counted for either purpose
– In addition, the international slave trade
would end in 1808 (death penalty offense)
• Congress was forbidden to interfere with slave
trade until 1808 – South was appeased – Again!!
Constitutional Compromises
• Tariff Rates
– Southern State opposed federal (national)
government’s power to levy tariffs
– Northern states wanted the federal government
vested with the power to regulate navigation and
protect shipping
– Compromise:
• Federal government given the power to control foreign trade
• Federal government given power to levy tariffs on imports but
NEVER exports (appeased the South – again!)
Constitutional Compromises
• Presidency
– Delegates disagreed on the length of office,
compensation, and the method(s) of choosing
the executive
– Compromise:
• 4 year term
• Elected through process known as the Electoral
College – not directly elected by people
• President would be compensated for service
Ratification of the Constitution
• Debate over Ratification
– Anti- Federalists
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Farmers, small businessmen, city workers
Gave their loyalty to their states
Believed the Constitution favored the elite
Threatened the powers of the states
Greatly increased the likelihood of
No mention of God in the document – wanted religion incorporated
Standing national army/city threatened civil liberty and rights
– Federalists
• People with business/property interests
• Those who considered the nation more important than their states
• Stronger central government would offer
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Stability (e.g. Shays’ Rebellion)
Maintain law and order
Furthering economic prosperity
Command respect abroad (consistent foreign policy)
Process of Ratification
• 9/13 states had to approve (ratify) the
Constitution
• Each state held its own convention
• First states to approve were Delaware,
New Jersey, Georgia (small states)
• Larger states were slower to ratify
– Massachusetts (187 to 168), New York (30 to
27), Virginia (89 to 79) were critical
Preamble
“We the People of the United States, in
Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic
Tranquility, provide for the common
defence, 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.”
Federalist Papers
• Authors: Jay, Madison, Hamilton
• Pro-Constitution editorials to encourage
ratification of Constitution
• The collection of essays became the
cornerstone of constitutional philosophy and
principles
• Federalist Paper #10 (Madison) argued that
America’s diversity and eclectic population was
one of the greatest strengths of the nation.