(1379) The CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION and Debates Over RATIFICATION [APUSH Review Unit 3 Topic 8] Period 3

Constitutional Convention Overview

• The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia in 1787 with 55 delegates.

• It aimed to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

• Key Debate: Should they modify the existing Articles or create a new Constitution?

• Influential figures like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton pushed for a stronger federal government.

Representation Debates

• Virginia Plan:

  • Proposed a strong centralized government.

  • Bicameral legislature with representation based on state population.

  • Favored larger states like Virginia.

• New Jersey Plan:

  • Favored a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state.

  • Benefited smaller states.

• Analogous Example:

  • Comparison to families choosing a restaurant:

    • Family A and B (small states) prefer Mexican, while Family C (larger state) prefers Chinese.

    • Illustrates tension between representing population vs. equal representation.

The Great Compromise

• Result of negotiations between the two plans:

  • Bicameral legislature established:

    • House of Representatives: Representation based on population.

    • Senate: Equal representation (two votes per state).

Slavery and Representation

• Southern states wanted enslaved populations counted for representation; Northern states opposed this.

• Three-Fifths Compromise:

  • Three-fifths of enslaved individuals counted towards population for representation.

• Constitutional assurance that discussions on slavery would not occur until at least 1808.

Election Processes

• House of Representatives:

  • Members elected directly by the people for two-year terms.

• Senate:

  • Senators elected by state legislatures for six-year terms.

• Presidential Election:

  • Governed by the Electoral College; states appoint electors based on population.

  • Aimed to keep presidential election away from direct popular vote.

Ratification of the Constitution

• Requirement: Nine out of thirteen states needed to ratify the new Constitution.

• Emergence of two opposing groups:

  • Federalists:

    • Urban supporters advocating for ratification.

    • Prominent figures: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay.

    • Authored Federalist Papers to champion the Constitution's benefits.

  • Anti-Federalists:

    • Opposed ratification fearing too much central power and lack of individual rights.

    • Highlighted absence of a Bill of Rights.

Outcomes

• Federalists prevailed by agreeing to add a Bill of Rights post-ratification to protect individual liberties.

• By mid-1788, the Constitution was ratified by the necessary nine states, becoming the foundational governing document of the United States.