U.S CONSTITUTION

What were the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?

1. Could not tax
2. Could not raise an army
3. Could not regulate interstate commerce
4. No judicial branch or executive branch
5. Strong state governments, weak federal government

What was the key difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?

The Virginia Plan wanted representation in Congress based on population, while the New Jersey Plan wanted equal representation for each state.

How did the Connecticut Compromise resolve the representation debate?

It established a bicameral Congress: one house (the House of Representatives) based on population, and the other house (the Senate) based equally per state. This is how Congress is organized today.

Explain the 3/5 Compromise.

For the purpose of representation, slaves would count as 3/5 of a person when the Census was taken. This was a compromise between the North and the South.