What was the purpose of holding a convention of state delegates in Philadelphia?

1. What was the purpose of holding a convention of state delegates in Philadelphia?

2. Shays Rebellion provided an example. Under the Articles of Confederation the States developed their own set of laws …the fruit of their victory would be “A multitude of Commonwealths, Crimes and Calamities, Centuries of mutual jealousies, Hatreds, Wars of Devastation; till at last the exhausted Provinces shall sink into Slavery under the yoke of some fortunate Conqueror.” - John Dickinson Letter to William Pitt, 1765 Economic jealousies were growing, as well as a divide between slave and free economies Spain was pushing us from the South and the British had not left their posts in the Northwest.

3. AMeeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government • The economy of the States was quickly declining. • Leaders called for a meeting in Annapolis, Maryland to discuss providing the Articles of Confederation the power to regulate commerce • Only 5 states delegates arrived, but determined to suggest a convention of all states in Philadelphia

4. Constitutional Convention Reaching a Compromise

5. Which Plan is closer to meeting the original goal of the Convention?

6. Though the Convention adopted the Virginia Plan, Several Questions Still Remained • How should the number of representatives from each state be determined? • According to population? • Should each state have an equal vote, no matter how large or small its population?

7. Solving the Problem of Representation Large States like Virginia desired Proportional Representation arguing in order for the new government to be more directly related to the people, states with larger populations should have more representatives. Small States like New Jersey desired Equal Representation arguing that a government under proportional representation would lead to domination by the more populated states.

8. In the Virginia Plan the people are everywhere and the states no where In the New Jersey Plan the people are nowhere and the states everywhere “Where do the people fit in?” “We are partly federal and partly national”

9. The Great Compromise Bi-Cameral or Two-House Legislature • The House of Representatives would be elected by the people on the basis of proportional population. • There would be equal representation of each state in the Senate. The legislatures of each state would select 2 Senators. Oliver Ellsworth & Roger Sherman of Connecticut

10. What Issues Separated the Northern and Southern States? SLAVERY

11. Changing Historian’s Viewpoint • Charles Beard wrote a groundbreaking history of the making of the Constitution • Argued economics played a major role • Most delegates had invested in public securities and stood to gain from strengthening public credit • He argued that the makers of the Constitution were seeking to protect their own economic interests

12. North Economy did not call for use of slaves Many opposed slavery Some worked toward abolishing slavery Some merchants who relied on trade with southern states were sympathetic South Needed slave labor to produce crops Viewed slaves as personal property Warned that their states would not ratify a Const. that denied them the right to keep slaves Viewpoints

13. 3/5 Compromise • Congress receives power to regulate commerce, but could not tax exports • Constitution would not deal with importation of slaves until January 1, 1808 (20 years) – Could tax imported slaves in the meantime • Slaves would be counted as 3/5 a person when determining population • Fugitive Slave Clause of Article IV allowed for return of escaped slaves

14. “Without the ‘federal ratio’ no union could possibly have been formed.”