The Making of a New Constitution

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The Making of a New Constitution
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Constitutional Convention

• 55 delegates met to discuss revising the
  government.
• All men, all white, all wealthy, all middle aged
• Discussed how much power to give the national
  government.
• Debated how states should be represented.
• Small states wanted equal representation.
• Large states wanted representation by population.

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The Great Compromise

• Roger Sherman devised the Great Compromise to
  solve this problem.
• Two houses in Congress
• Senate States have equal representation
• House of Representatives States are represented
  based on population
• Both sides were happy!

Is it just me, or does this guy resemble Skeletor?
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Three-Fifths Compromise

• New issuehow are slaves represented?
• Southern states wanted slaves counted in their
  population.
• Because it would increase their representation in
  the House of Reps.
• Northern states disagreed.
• If slaves werent treated like people by
  southerners, they shouldnt be counted as people
  for the benefit of southerners.
• Compromise Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person.

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A New Constitution

• So now we have a new Constitution and it has to
  be ratified

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Ratifying the Constitution
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Federalists vs. Antifederalists

• Federalists supported the Constitution.
• Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison.
• Received support from people in cities,
  merchants, skilled workers, and laborers.
• Wrote the Federalist Papers to gain public
  support.

• Antifederalists were against the Constitution.
• Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and Richard Henry
  Lee.
• Received support from people in rural areas, such
  as farmers.
• Wrote Letters from the Federal Farmer to gain
  public support.

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Constitution Gets Ratified

• One remaining issuepeople demanded a Bill of
  Rights.
• People still feared a strong central govt.
• People wanted rights guaranteed in writing.
• Constitution gets ratified, and a Bill of Rights
  is added (first 10 amendments).

Hooray! A Constitution that works this time!
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Imagine you are either a Federalist or
Antifederalist