SS Unit 5

Advantage for Large States:
- The Virginia Plan offered significant advantages to large states by providing representation based on population.
- States with larger populations received more delegates in both houses of Congress.

Context:
- Shay's Rebellion was an uprising led by farmers in 1786-1787 to protest economic injustices and the foreclosure of their farms.
Outcomes:
- The rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the lack of federal power to raise an army.
- It created a demand for a stronger national government.
- Resulted in the calling of the Constitutional Convention.
- Massachusetts state militia eventually suppressed the rebellion.
Contributing Issues:
- Britain's refusal to vacate the Ohio River Valley.
- Spain's closure of the Mississippi River.

Major Purpose:
- The main reason for calling the Constitutional Convention was to address the weaknesses found in the Articles of Confederation.
- It aimed to create a stronger national government.
Outcome:
- Initially planned to revise the Articles; it ultimately led to the creation of an entirely new Constitution instead.
Leadership:
- George Washington was elected president of the Constitutional Convention.

Great Compromise:
- Combined aspects of the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan to create a bicameral legislature.
- Resulted in two houses of Congress:
- House of Representatives based on population (favoring large states).
- Senate with equal representation (two senators per state, favoring smaller states).
Three-Fifths Compromise:
- Resolved the issue of how slaves would be counted for both representation and taxation.
- Determined that each slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person.

Main Differentiators:
- The Articles created a weak central government; most powers resided with state governments.
- Each state had one vote in Congress regardless of size.
- There was no executive branch to enforce laws or judiciary to settle disputes.
Weaknesses:
- Congress did not have the power to levy taxes, which crippled its ability to pay debts.
- Congress could not regulate interstate commerce.
- Unable to raise a military to address domestic issues such as Shay's Rebellion.
Positive Outcomes:
- Despite its weaknesses, the Articles facilitated the passing of the Northwest Ordinance and the Land Ordinance of 1785, which established governance in Western territories.

New England Farmers' Situation:
- After the American Revolution, farmers faced significant economic hardship due to large debts and high taxes.
- Resulted in widespread foreclosure, prompting rebellion (Shay's Rebellion) as farmers sought to protect their properties.
Main Goal of Shay's Rebellion:
- To stop the foreclosure process and prevent the loss of farms.

Virginia Plan:
- Proposed representation based on population, favoring larger states.
- Included the establishment of three branches of government.
New Jersey Plan:
- Proposed equal representation for all states regardless of size.
- Also called for three branches of government and was favored by smaller states.

The Constitutional Convention resulted from growing dissatisfaction with the Articles of Confederation and a strong desire for a more effective national government.
The compromises made during this convention, particularly the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise, were critical in achieving consensus among the states.
Understanding the dynamics between large and small states played a crucial role in shaping the structure of the U.S. government established by the Constitution.