3.8 (not assigned) The Constitutional Convention and Debates Over Ratification

Constitutional Convention, Annapolis Convention, Mount Vernon, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, John Dickinson, federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, Congress, Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Connecticut Plan/Great Compromise, Senate, House of Representatives, Three-Fifths Compromise, Commercial Compromise, Electoral College system, Federalists, The Federalist Papers, Anti-Federalists

Constitutional Convention

the meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, designing a new plan of government instead, the U.S. Constitution

Annapolis Convention

conference hosted at Washington’s home in Mount Vernon in 1785 to review what should be done about the country’s inability to solve problems, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton persuaded other delegates that another convention should be held to revise the Articles of Confederation

delegates and leaders

• all white males, mostly college educated

• George Washington - chairperson

• Benjamin Franklin

• James Madison - became known as the father of the Constitution

• Alexander Hamilton

• Gouverneur Morris

• John Dickinson

key issues at the convention

• federalism - a system with a strong but limited central government

• separation of powers - dividing power among among different branches of government

• checks and balances - a system in which the powers of one branch of government could be limited by the powers of another

• representation in Congress

  • Madison’s Virginia Plan - states have representation proportional to their population, favored larger states

  • New Jersey Plan - all states have the smae number of votes, favored smaller states

  • compromise: Connecticut Plan/Great Compromise - bicameral Congress

    • Senate - all states have equal representation

    • House of Representatives - each state is represented according to population

• slavery - Three-Fifths Compromise - counted each slave as 3/5 of a person for the purpose of determining a state’s level of taxation and representation

• trade - Commercial Compromise - allowed Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, prohibited placing taxes on exports (taxes on imports allowed)

• presidency - Electoral College system instituted because delegates feared too much democracy and mob rule

Federalists vs Anti-Federalists

• Federalists - supporters of ratification of the Constitution and a stronger federal government to maintain order and preserve the union

  • The Federalist Papers - a series of persuasive essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and John Jay

• Anti-Federalists - opposed ratification of the Constitution, feared that a strong federal government would destroy the work of the Revolution, limit democracy, and restrict states’ rights

ratification

the Constitution became the supreme law of the land after being ratified in November 1789 after Federalists addressed a large concern and promised to add a Bill of Rights