Chapter 2 Section 4

In groups you will reading Chapter 2 Section 4: "The Constitutional Convention".

As you read answer the following questions.

1) Who were some important individuals at the convention.

George Washington

Benjamin Franklin

James Wilson

Gouveneur Morris

James Maddison

Alexander Hamilton

2) Who were the delegates?  What did they have in common?

55 delegates from various states, all of which had political experience, educated, wealthy white men

3) What were the key agreements?
Limited and representative government, favored a three branch system (legislative, judicial, executive), limit the power of the states to coin money of interfere with creditors’ rights

4) Compromises - briefly outline or explain the following compromises:

A) The Virginia Plan

The government should be based on three principals

-A strong national legislature with two chambers, the lower one to be chosen by the people and the upper one to be chosen by the lower one. The legislature would have the power to bar any state laws it found unconstitutional

-A strong national executive to be chosen by the national legislature

-A national judiciary to be appointed by the legislature

-Favored by large states

B) The New Jersey Plan
-One vote per state

-Congress would be able to impose taxes and regulate trade

-Weak executive branch consisting of more than one person elected by congress

-Created to help protect the power of smaller states

-Rejected

C) The Connecticut Compromise
Created to be a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan

House of Representatives

-based on population

-all revenue laws start here

Senate

-Two representatives

-State Legislatures would elect senators

D) The 3/5 Compromise
-Helped determine how many representatives

-South wanted more representatives

-North wanted the south to have less representatives because it would be unfair

-North wanted slaves to be counted for tax purposes but not in the house of representatives

-A slave was worth 3/5 of a person for taxes and representatives

E) The Slave-Trade Compromise
-Northern states wanted the government to have complete power over trade

-Southern states thought this would hurt their agricultural exports and slave trade industry

-Congress regulates both interstate commerce and foreign commerce

-Export tax is not allowed

F) The Slavery Question
-Slaves escaping to free states must be returned to their owners

-Delaware had forbidden importing slaves

-Connecticut and Rhode Island

G) The Electoral College and Presidential Term
-The states select electors to choose the president

-The president’s four-year term was a compromise between those wanting a long term and those wanting a short term

5) What was the Anti-Federalists strongest argument?
-There was no bill of rights

6) Who wrote the Federalist papers?

James Madison

John Jay

Alexander Hamilton