Convention & Compromise

• Shay’s Rebellion - showed the federal government was too weak.

• Leaders met to create a stronger government

• ​Stronger national government was needed

• May 1787 – Constitutional Convention begins in Philadelphia, PA

Early documents taught leaders to limit power and protect rights.

Magna Carta (1215)
- King must follow the law
- Limited government's power

English Bill of Rights (1689)
- Listed basic rights for citizens
- Government must protect people's rights

Mayflower Compact (1620)
- People agree to self govern

George Washington - Elected president of the Constitutional Convention

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​James Madison - the author of the Constitution; AKA "Father of the Constitution"

• ​Three Branches

  • ​Executive

  • ​Legislative

  • ​Judicial

• ​Legislature

  • ​One house with equal votes per state

• ​Other powers

  • ​levy taxes & import duties

  • ​regulate trade

  • ​state laws were inferior to national laws

• 3 ​Branches

  • ​Legislative

  • ​Executive

  • ​Judicial

• Two house ​Legislature

  • House of Representatives & Senate

  • ​Representation in both based on population

• ​Other powers

  • ​Regulate interstate trade

  • ​Strike down unconstitutional laws

  • ​Use the military to enforce laws

• ​Created a two house congress
  - House of Representatives - based on population
  - Senate - 2 votes per state

• Southerners wanted enslaved people to count for representation

• Northerners opposed this because they had no rights.

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• Northerners wanted Southerners to pay taxes on enslaved people since Southerners considered them property.

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• This dispute threatened to end the convention

• ​To end the argument delegates decided:

• 5 enslaved people would equal 3 people for taxation and representation

• ​Opposed the new constitution

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• States should have more power

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• Wanted a “bill of rights” to protect them from the federal government

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• Led by Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Sam Adams, and George Mason

• ​Supported the new Constitution

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• Supported a strong federal government

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• Believed a Bill of Rights wasn’t needed; states would protect the rights of the people

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• Led by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, & John Jay

• ​9 out of 13 states must ratify (approve) the Constitution for it to become the “Law of the Land”