Download Origins of American Government THE VIRGINIA PLAN

Origins of American Government
Rival Plans
THE VIRGINIA PLAN
• Based on the ideas of James Madison, The Virginia Plan called for a
central government divided into three branches—legislative,
executive, judicial—each branch with power to check the others.
• Called for strong national government with power to make laws,
LEVY TAXES, CONTROL INTERSTATE COMMERCE, OVERRIDE
STATE LAWS
• Called for BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE WITH MEMBERSHIP
BASED ON STATE’S POPULATION; lower house members elected
directly by the people; upper house members selected by state
legislatures
Origins of American Government
Rival Plans
THE NEW JERSEY PLAN
• Delegates from small states concerned that VIRGINIA PLAN GAVE
TOO MUCH POWER TO LARGE STATES
• The New Jersey Plan called for a STRONG CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT made up of three branches, but was designed to
stick closer to the Articles of Confederation.
• Called for UNICAMERAL LEGISLATURE
• EACH STATE WOULD HAVE ONE VOTE, with equal representation
regardless of its population.
• Despite support from small states, the plan was ultimately rejected at
the Convention.
Origins of American Government
Conflict and Compromise
For weeks after the rejection of the New Jersey Plan, the Convention was
deadlocked. Tempers flared, and at times it seemed the Convention would
fall apart. In the end, a series of compromises saved the Convention.
GreatRoger
Compromise
• JuneThe
30, 1787:
Sherman
presented by Connecticut Compromise
(THE GREAT COMPROMISE).
• Elements of both plans
• Bicameral legislature: LOWER HOUSE
NUMBER BASED ON STATE’S
POPULATION, UPPER HOUSE WITH
TWO MEMBERS EACH
• LOWER HOUSE ELECTED DIRECTLY
BY THE PEOPLE; UPPER HOUSE
SELECTED BY STATE
LEGISLATURE.
Compromise Over Slavery
• Key points: whether slaves should be
counted as part of state’s population;
whether importing slaves continued
• Counting slaves would greatly increase
population and power of southern states
• Three-Fifths Compromise: three-fifths
of enslaved people would be counted to
determine a state’s population.
• COMPROMISE ON SLAVE TRADE
ALLOWED IT TO CONTINUE
PROTECTED FOR THE NEXT 20
YEARS
Origins of American Government
Conflict and Compromise (cont’d.)
Presidential Election
• Some wanted president elected directly by the people; others by the state legislatures
or the national legislature
• COMPROMISE: STATE ELECTORS
• NUMBER OF STATE ELECTORS EQUAL TO NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES IN
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS; CHOSEN BY POPULAR VOTE
• If no candidate received majority vote, House of Representatives would choose
president
Finalizing the Constitution
• Debated issues, settled disputes, made key decisions during summer of 1787
• Benjamin Franklin said document was as close to perfect as possible, to overlook
parts they did not like and “act heartily and unanimously” in signing Constitution
• Some delegates refused to sign because it did not include a bill of rights.
• 39 delegates from 12 states signed Constitution
• Convention adjourned September 17, 1787
Origins of American Government
Section 5 at a Glance
Ratification and the Bill of Rights
• Ratification of the Constitution involved a heated debate between
those who supported the Constitution and those who opposed it.
• Antifederalists opposed the Constitution because it lacked a bill of
rights.
• The Federalist Papers outlined the key ideas of the Federalists, who
supported the Constitution.
• The struggle for ratification took place in every state.
Origins of American Government
Antifederalists versus Federalists
• Constitutional Convention adjourned September 17, 1787
• Drastic changes in plan for government surprised some, angered
others
• New national government would
– Greatly reduce powers of state legislatures
– Completely restructure Congress
• Framers outlined process for ratifying Constitution
– Voters in each state to elect representatives to state ratifying convention
– To become law, Constitution had to be ratified by 9 of 13 states
• Two factions
– Federalists supported Constitution
– Antifederalists opposed Constitution
Origins of American Government
Origins of American Government
Contrasting
Over what issues did Antifederalists and
Federalists disagree?
Answer(s): strength of federal government;
restructuring of Congress; power of executive
branch; necessity of bill of rights