ii. the constitutional convention - blogs · 2018. 2. 15. · ii. the constitutional convention o...
TRANSCRIPT
II. The Constitutional Convention
O WHY?
O 1. Weaknesses of the Articles of
Confederation
O Federal government could not collect taxes
O Federal government could not regulate trade
O The Articles required the agreement of all 13
states to amend (change) them
O Did not have federal courts (no judicial branch)
O Could not force states to cooperate
II. The Constitutional Convention
2. The National Government had problems
with Great Britain
a. Britain would not leave the forts in
the Great Lakes area
What Treaty said they should?
b. Britain tried to keep the rules of
mercantilism the same as before
revolution
II. The Constitutional Convention
O 3. Problems with Spain
O Spain closed the port of New Orleans to US
traders.
O What problem did this cause Americans who
used the Mississippi river?
O Spain was worried about westward expansion
into Louisiana
II. The Constitutional Convention
O 4. 1786 Shay’s Rebellion – farmers had to
pay high state taxes so states could pay off
debt. Sound familiar?
O Many could not pay taxes, went in debt and
were losing their farms to foreclosure
O Daniel Shays, a revolutionary war veteran,
led a group of farmers to shut down the
Massachusetts courts (no more foreclosure
hearings)
II. The Constitutional Convention
O What could the federal government do about
Shay’s rebellion?
O Did the federal government have the money
to pay for an army?
O Eventually, Massachusetts gathered an
army and quieted the rebellion
O SIGNIFICANCE: it demonstrated the lack of
power of the federal government under the
Articles of Confederation
II. The Constitutional Convention
O Where? Philadelphia
O When? May 1787
O How long? 17 weeks
O How many? 55 delegates
O Chaired by: George Washington
II. The Constitutional Convention
O A. The Virginia Plan – key points
O Proposed a bicameral legislature (translation
= two house law making body)
O Membership in the legislature would be
determined by size of population
O What states would have the power under the
Virginia Plan?
OStates with a larger population
II. The Constitutional ConventionO B. The New Jersey Plan – key points
O Unicameral legislature (1 house law making body)
O 1 vote per state
O How many total votes would there be?
O the federal government would have the power to
tax and the power to regulate commerce (trade)
O Federal government would be stronger than state
governments
O What states would have the power under the New
Jersey Plan?
O States with a small population
II. The Constitutional Convention
O Check up
O What two groups are disagreeing?
O What are they disagreeing about?
II. The Constitutional Convention
O Check up
O What two groups are disagreeing?
Large states vs. Small states
O What are they disagreeing about?
Representation in the Legislative
Branch
C. The Great (Connecticut)Compromise1. Bicameral Legislature (Congress)
O House of Representatives
O 1 representative for every 40,000 people
O What type of states like this house of Congress?
O Large states
O Senate
O 2 senators per state
O What type of states like this house of Congress?
O Small states
D. 3/5 Compromise
O How many reps in the House of
Representatives will North Carolina have?
O Total population 400,000
O Enslaved population 100,000
O Which two groups are disagreeing now?
O North vs. South (Free vs. Slave)
D. 3/5 CompromiseO For purposes of counting population in the
House of Representatives, slaves will count
as 3/5 of a person
O What powers were given to the federal
government under the New Jersey plan?
O Power to tax and regulate trade
O Which one might cause an issue regarding
slavery? Why?
O Regulate trade- slaves are “traded” along the
Middle Passage
E. Slave Trade Compromise
O Congress can regulate trade but CANNOT
interfere with the slave trade for 20 years
(1808)
O This pleases the South
O A duty tax of $10 per imported slave
O This pleases the North
O Which two groups argued over this issue?
O North vs. South (Free vs. Slave)