Detailed Study Notes on the Virginia Plan and Federalism

Virginia Plan

  • The Virginia Plan proposed that apportionment in Congress should be based on population.
  • Key mechanism for allocating power in Congress: Vote.
  • Discussion point:
    • Should the apportionment depend on land, population, or another mechanism?
    • Emphasis on: Population
  • Census: Counting the population to allocate power accordingly.
  • Example of state size and representation:
    • Virginia is larger than Rhode Island.
    • Virginia should have more representation in Congress based on population.

Concerns of Smaller States

  • Smaller states like New Jersey and Rhode Island raised concerns:
    • If representation is solely based on population, larger states like New York and Virginia could dominate.
    • Fear of being powerless against larger states.

Articles of Confederation

  • Under the Articles of Confederation, power was distributed equally by state.
  • Concern of losing equal power if the representation system changed.

Great Compromise

  • Introduction of the Great Compromise as a solution:
    • Combination of the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan.
    • Resulted in a bicameral legislature: Congress is composed of two bodies.

Reflection of the Virginia Plan

  • Reflects the Virginia Plan in the House of Representatives:
    • Membership based on state population.
    • Changes in representation are based on a ten-year census.
    • Example:
    • Montana has 1 electoral vote, while Virginia has 15; representation reflects population differences.

Concept of Fairness

  • Discussion on democratic fairness:
    • One person, one vote.
  • Contrast with the New Jersey Plan:
    • Reflected in the Senate.
    • Each state has equal representation: 2 Senators per state.
    • Senators serve for 6 years.

State Governance

  • Governors operate at the state level:
    • States determine how governors are elected.
  • Historical note: Some early states had commissions instead of governors due to fear of concentrated power.
  • Each state represents regions (e.g., Alexandria, Norfolk) in the Virginia House of Delegates.

State vs. Federal Responsibilities

  • Education and criminal justice are largely managed at the local and state levels:
    • Variability in laws and civil rights across states affects individuals.
  • Example of potential lawsuits for a car accident: Different limits on damages in different states.

State Funding and Taxes

  • States make decisions on funding (e.g., road maintenance).
  • Example: North Carolina vs. South Carolina in road funding priorities due to tax bases.

Federalism

  • Definition: Federalism (lowercase f) indicates a system where power is decentralized, as opposed to centralism (represented strongly by monarchies).
  • In a federal system:
    • Power is distributed across national, state, and local levels.
    • Local level typically involves counties or cities.
  • The concept of federalism is rooted in historical concerns about a powerful central government.

Labeling and Propaganda

  • Self-identifying as federalists was a strategic move to alleviate fears of centralism and monarchic control.

Structure of Government

  • Governors are the chief executives at the state level, working with state legislatures. Parallel structures exist for national and local governments:
    • President at national level.
    • Mayor at local level.

Local Governance and School Systems

  • The local level functions include managing education systems (e.g., Alexandria has a singular, large high school due to historical integration decisions).
  • Elected school boards, mayors, and city councils manage local issues such as school funding and infrastructure.

Taxes and Their Impact

  • Discussion of sales tax implications:
    • Variability in local taxation affects funding for services such as roads and schools.
    • Residents often overlook local taxes, but they become more significant as amounts increase with larger purchases (e.g., cars).

Compromise in the Constitution

  • Importance of addressing compromises regarding slavery:
    • Three-Fifths Compromise: Determined how enslaved people were counted for representation.
    • Southern states counted enslaved people as 3/5 of a person for congressional representation, inflating their political power.
    • This was seen as giving southern slaveholders greater representation in Congress.
  • Example given of representation effect: If only free persons were counted in a state like South Carolina, its congressional representation would be significantly lower.

Slavery Compromises in the Constitution

  • Ban on the international slave trade after 20 years.
    • Post-1808, illegal to import enslaved people from Africa.
    • Emphasis on internal slave trade growth within the U.S.; significant movement occurred from the Upper South to the Lower South.
  • Mention of a federal fugitive slave law embedded in the Constitution that allowed recapture of enslaved persons across state lines.

Final Notes

  • The lecture noted the complexity and impacts of historical compromises on representation and governance.
  • Emphasis on understanding the implications of federalism and ongoing political power dynamics surrounding slavery.