the road to the constitution 5 quick review declaration of independence –second continental...

The Road to the Constitution

5

Quick Review Declaration of Independence

– Second Continental Congress

– Approved July 4, 1776

The Articles of Confederation– 1777, our first constitution

– Weak federal government

– Shay’s Rebellion, 1786-1787

Strengthening the National Government

1787 Problems with the Articles of Confederation States sent delegates to Philadelphia to fix

the A.O.C. Rhode Island did not go…they did not want

a stronger central government

The Constitutional Convention

May 25, 1787 Independence Hall, Philadelphia An extraordinary group of men

– 55 men

– Well-educated

– Lawyers, merchants, college presidents, doctors, generals, governors, and planters with considerable political experience

Who was there? Who missed it?

Benjamin Franklin– 81, oldest delegate

George Washington & James Madison– Both would become president

Thomas Jefferson & John Adams– Both were in Europe

Patrick Henry– Prominent Virginian– He was invited but did not attend; he was against the convention

The Boss Who was chosen to

preside over the convention?

George Washington– Respected for his

leadership during the Rev. War

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Procedures of the Convention

Each state was only allowed one vote Majority votes from all states made

decisions All discussions were a secret! Why…?

– This way, delegates could speak freely, without worry about how the public would react

Importance of the Constitutional Convention

“I would bury my bones in this city rather than leave the Convention without anything being done.”

-George Mason at the Constitutional Convention

*Everyone knew that failure could mean disaster*

What happened to the…

Articles of Confederation???

They throw it away, decided to write a new constitution…

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Two Opposing Plans

VS.

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Virginia vs. New Jersey

Two Opposing Plans The Virginia Plan

– James Madison– 3 branches of government– Bicameral legislature (2 houses), determined

by population– Favored big states

Two Opposing PlansThe New Jersey Plan

William Patterson 3 branches of government Unicameral legislature (1 house) with

equal representation Favored smaller states

Two Opposing Plans What was the big issue?

How representation in Congress would be decided

Larger states wanted more power, smaller states wanted equal power

The Great Compromise Lower House

– House of Representatives– Determined by population– 2 year terms– Favored larger states

Upper House– Senate– Equal representation– 6 year terms– Favored smaller states

Also known as… The Connecticut Compromise

What is a compromise???

A way of resolving disagreements in which each side gives up something but gains something else

More arguing? What now?

MORE COMPROMISE!

3/5 Compromise

Electoral College

Finished…finally! September 17, 1787, finished up the

Constitution Delegates signed it, said the Constitution

would become the law of the land when…– 9 out of 13 states ratified (approved) it

So everyone in the entire United States of America loved the Constitution and every state ratified it immediately and we all had a big party and we all lived happily ever after, right…?

Wrong!

A Divided Public Some people liked the Constitution, others did not

Federalists = supporters of the new constitution & a strong federal government

Federalism = A form of government in which power is divided between the federal (national) government and the states

A Divided Public Some Federalists wrote papers to rally

support for the Constitution

They were called the Federalist Papers (duh)

Who wrote ‘em?– Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, & John Jay

A Divided Public What about those who didn’t like the

Constitution?

Anti-Federalists = People opposed to the constitution & a strong federal government– “Don’t forget individual rights!”

Reaching an Agreement

Anti-Federalists wanted to add…– The Bill of Rights

The Federalists promised to do so, and did

New Hampshire, 9th state to ratify– June 21, 1788– The Constitution went into effect

The last state to ratify…?– Rhode Island, 1790

Federalist Number 51

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”

-James Madison