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The Road to the
Constitution
The Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional
Convention
• Began on May 25, 1787
• Held at Independence Hall in
Philadelphia, PA
• 55 delegates attended (8 signers of
the Declaration of Independence, 7
state governors, and 41 previous
members of the Continental
Congress)
Convention Continued
• George Washington was chosen
to preside over the convention.
• Each state was given one vote;
a simple majority would pass
motions.
• The work was done in secret.
What type of
government to create?
• There were two major
proposals:
The Virginia Plan
The New Jersey Plan
The Virginia Plan
• Written by James Madison
• This proposal would have created a
government that included a
president, a court system, and a
bicameral legislature .
• The representation in each house of
the legislature would be based upon
the state’s population.
• This plan favored the larger states.
The New Jersey Plan
• Written by William Patterson
• This plan would create a government very
similar to the one that had been
established under the Articles of
Confederation.
• There would be a unicameral legislature
where each state would have equal
representation and equal votes.
• The national government would have the
power to set and collect taxes and
regulate trade. It would also have an
executive and judicial branch.
The Great Compromise
• This was created by Roger Sherman of
Connecticut.
• This established a bicameral legislature
(Senate and House of Representatives).
• Senate- Each state would have equal
representation (2). Designed to represent
the interest of the states.
• House of Representatives- The number of
representatives would be based upon the
state’s population. Designed to represent
the interests of the people.
Three-Fifths
Compromise
• Slavery existed during the time of
the Constitutional Convention. More
than 550,000 people were enslaved
(mostly in the South).
• The Southern states wanted the
slave population to count for the
purposes of representation in
Congress.
Continued
• The Northern states opposed the idea.
• The compromise that was reached counted
every five enslaved persons as three free
persons for the purposes of representation
in Congress and the amount of taxation
that would be assessed to the states.
• This provision in the Constitution was
nullified with the passage of the 13th
Amendment following the Civil War.
September 17, 1787
• 39 of the 42 remaining
delegates to the Constitutional
Convention signed the
Constitution.
• However, before it could truly
go into effect it would have to
be ratified by at least 9 of the
13 states.
Debate over the
Constitution
• Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
• The Federalists were supporters of
the Constitution.
• They argued that the United States
would not survive without a strong
central government.
• James Madison, Alexander Hamilton,
and John Jay authored the
Federalist Papers in support of
ratifying the Constitution.
Continued
• The Anti-Federalists were those who were
opposed to the Constitution.
• They argued that the Constitution created
a strong central government at the
expense of the states.
• They also argued that there was no bill of
rights protecting individual freedoms.
• Well known Anti-Federalists included:
Patrick Henry, Edmund Randolph, George
Mason, and Elbridge Gerry.
Ratification
• The Federalists eventually agreed
that a bill of rights was necessary
and promised that it would be added
if the Constitution was approved.
• The LAST State to ratify the
constitution was RHODE ISLAND.
Federalists vs. Antifederalists
A. Federalists: Favored
ratification. Wanted a strong
national government.
B. Anti-federalists: opposed
ratification and wanted a weak
national government. Feared
that a strong national
government would threaten
people’s rights.
Federalists vs. Antifederalists
Federalists
• supported the
Constitution
Antifederalists
• opposed the
Constitution
• believed that the
Constitution made
• wanted a strong
national government the national
government too
and weaker state
governments
strong and states
• believed in the need too weak
for a strong executive • thought that the
President had too
branch
much power
Formation of the Bill of Rights
• Federalists, such as Alexander Hamilton,
were against the Bill of Rights, claiming it
was unnecessary since all state constitutions
already had a bill of rights. They wrote about
it in the FEDERALIST PAPERS.
Alexander Hamilton:
Against the Bill of Rights
Thomas Jefferson:
Favored the Bill of Rights
• James Madison wrote the first
ten amendments in 1791, which are
known as the Bill of Rights.
James Madison,
author of the Bill
of Rights and 4th
President of the
United States.
• THE ONLY WAY
FEDERALISTS GOT
THE ANTIFEDERALISTS TO
RATIFY THE
CONSTITUTION WAS
TO ADD THE BILL OF
RIGHTS!
• On June 21, 1788 New
Hampshire became the 9th
state to approve the
Constitution.
• The Constitution took effect and
eventually the other four states
would ratify it as well.