Understanding the U.S. Constitution

  1. The Call for Convention

    • Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation: Post-independence struggles revealed significant flaws in the original governing document. Alexander Hamilton was a primary advocate for establishing a strong national government.

    • The Annapolis Convention:

    • Hamilton influenced the Virginia legislature to call for this convention in Annapolis.

    • Only 5 states attended, leading to a request for a larger convention in Philadelphia specifically to revise the Articles.

    • Shays' Rebellion:

    • Led by Daniel Shays, this uprising of Massachusetts farmers highlighted the central government's inability to maintain order.

    • The rebellion served as a catalyst, demonstrating the absolute necessity for a stronger national authority.

  2. The Convention

    • Logistics: Held in Philadelphia starting in May 1787.

    • Objective: Though delegates initially aimed to revise the Articles of Confederation, they ultimately decided to draft an entirely new Constitution.

    • Key Figures:

    • George Washington presided over the proceedings.

    • Influential contributors included James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin.

    • Notable absences included Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were serving as diplomats abroad.

  3. The Controversies

    • Virginia Plan:

    • Proposed a strong national government divided into three branches.

    • Suggested representation in the legislature should be based on population (representation \propto population).

    • Included a provision for a congressional veto over state laws.

    • New Jersey Plan:

    • Called for equal representation for each state, regardless of size.

    • Proposed expanded powers for commerce and an executive committee chosen by Congress.

  4. The Final Product

    • Great Compromise: Combined both plans to create a bicameral legislature. The Senate would have equal representation (2 per state), while the House of Representatives would be based on population.

    • Three-Fifths Compromise:

    • Resolved the dispute over how to count enslaved people for representation and taxation purposes.

    • Slaves were counted as \frac{3}{5} of a person; notably, the term 'slavery' was avoided in the final text.

    • Basic Principles of the Constitution:

    • Republican Government: Established a representative democracy.

    • Separation of Powers: Divided government into Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches.

    • Checks and Balances: Empowered each branch to limit the others to prevent tyranny.

    • Amendment Process: A two-step process requiring proposal by 2/3 of Congress or state legislatures, followed by ratification by 3/4 of state legislatures or conventions.

  5. Ratification

    • The document required approval from 9 of the 13 states to take effect.

    • Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists: A fierce debate ensued between those supporting a strong central government (Federalists) and those fearing it would infringe on individual liberties (Anti-Federalists).

    • The Bill of Rights: To ensure ratification in key states, a promise was made to add a series of amendments protecting individual rights, which became the first ten amendments.