Origins of the Constitution

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Origins of the Constitution

• Key Terms
• Republic
• Washington
• Madison
• Franklin
• Virginia Plan
• Great Compromise
• 3/5 Compromise
• Electoral College

• I. Articles of Confederation
• Problems
• II. Constitutional Convention (1787)
• Background
• Who?
• Controversy Compromise
• Representation/Congress
• Slavery
• Presidential/Electoral Compromise
• III. Conc.

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Some Problems With the Articles of Confederation

• Each state had one vote (regardless of its
  population)
• There were neither Executive nor Judicial
  Branches
• The national government did not have the power to
  tax states could coin own money conduct
  foreign policy

Articles of Confederation
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Where did they meet?
Philadelphia Independence Hall
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One Philosophy Prevailed
Republic

• Eligible citizens elect representatives who make
  decisions establish policies for them

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Who was at the Constitutional Convention?
George Washington
Washington presided over the Convention as its
chairman
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Who was at the Constitutional Convention?
James Madison
Ben Franklin
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Who was NOT at the Constitutional Convention?
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson was the US Ambassador to France
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Which individual had the greatest impact on the
Constitution?

• James Madison

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Controversy Representation in CongressVirginia
Plan (Madison)

• Eliminate the Articles of Confederation
• Separate the National Government into three
  branches Legislative (most powerful), Executive
  Judicial

• Representation in the Legislative Branch would be
  determined entirely by a states population

James Madison
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Separation of Powers(Madisons Virginia Plan)
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Solution Great Compromise

• Separate the Legislative Branch into two
  sections
• House of Representatives (based on population)
• Senate (two for each state)

Ben Franklin
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Solution Great Compromise(Franklin)
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Controversy How to Count Slaves?

• Solution 3/5 Compromise
• One slave is equal to 3/5 of a person when
  determining a states population

Torture Mask
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Controversy Chief Executive
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Controversy Chief Executive
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How The Electoral College Works
Two Key Concepts

• In order to win a Presidential election a
  candidate must win a majority of electoral votes
  (270).
• The candidate who wins the most popular votes in
  a state wins ALL of that states pledged
  electoral votes.

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The Electoral College The States(Michigan as
an example)
MICHIGANS ELECTORAL VOTES
15 Members of the US House of Reps
2 _ US Senators
17 Electoral Votes
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Distribution of Electoral Votes
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Distribution of Electoral Votes
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Electoral CollegeMichigan and the Presidential
Election of 2008
So, Barack Obama received ALL 17 of Michigans
pledged electoral votes.
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Presidential Election Results
Voter turn-out was VERY high about 136 million
64 of
eligible voters
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Other Presidential Election Results
Gore received about 500,000 more popular votes.
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Other Presidential Election Results
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Electoral College
If no candidate wins a majority of the Electoral
Votes, then

• The US House of Representatives chooses the next
  President among the top three finishers

• The US Senate chooses the next Vice President
  among the top two finishers for VP

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Origins of the Constitution

• Key Terms
• Republic
• Washington
• Madison
• Franklin
• Virginia Plan
• Great Compromise
• 3/5 Compromise
• Electoral College

• I. Articles of Confederation
• Problems
• II. Constitutional Convention (1787)
• Background
• Who?
• Controversy Compromise
• Representation/Congress
• Slavery
• Presidential/Electoral Compromise
• III. Conc.