The Issues and Debates at the Constitutional Convention

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The Issues and Debatesat
theConstitutional Convention
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Representation to National Government

• Large States

• Small States

• Virginia Plan
• Two House Congress.
• Representation to Congress should be based on
  population.

• New Jersey Plan
• One House Congress.
• One representative from each state. (one vote).

Compromise Two House Congress Upper House gets
equal representation, 2 Senators from each
state. In the lower house, representation is
based on states populations.
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Should Slaves Count as a part of a states
population or as taxable wealth?

• Northern Opinion

• Southern Opinion

• Slaves should not be counted as population when
  deciding on congressional representation.
• Slaves should be counted as property and the
  government should be able to tax the slave owners.

• Slaves are a part of a states population and
  should be counted when determining congressional
  representation.
• Slaves should not be counted as taxable property
  for slave owners.

Compromise Three-Fifths Compromise 3/5 of a
states slave population will be counted toward
the total population when deciding congressional
representation. Slaves will not be considered
taxable property.
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Should the national government have the power to
control interstate foreign trade?

• Southern Opinion

• Northern Opinion

• States should control interstate and foreign
  trade.
• An export tax would negatively affect the
  plantation economy.
• Afraid the national government would get rid of
  the slave trade.

• National government should control interstate
  foreign trade.
• Create an import export tax to gain national
  wealth.
• Create one currency for the country.

Compromise National Government will control
interstate foreign trade. No Export
Tax Agreement that the national government will
not interfere with slave trade for 20 years.
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Will the national government become too powerful?

• Anti-federalists

• Federalists

• Believed the authority derived from state
  governments.
• Wanted a guarantee of individuals rights as
  citizens written into the constitution.

• Believed authority derived from the people the
  national government should be stronger than the
  state governments.
• Believed the system of checks balances over the
  three branches of government would protect it
  from tyranny.

Compromise The Bill of Rights was amended to the
Constitution.
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Our Founding Fathers
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George Washington

• General of the Continental Army during the War.
• Came out of retirement for the Constitutional
  Convention.
• President of Convention.
• Strong Nationalist.

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James Madison

• Representative from Virginia.
• Wanted a strong national government.
• (Federalist)
• Father of Constitution.
• Created the
• Virginia Plan
• 3/5 Compromise
• Checks Balances

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Alexander Hamilton

• Representative from New York.
• Wanted a strong national government.
• (Federalist)
• Believed national government should be able to
  tax and control trade.

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Benjamin Franklin

• Representative from Pennsylvania.
• One of the oldest most experienced delegates.
• Argued for the interests of the Northern states
  a strong national government.

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William Paterson

• Representative from New Jersey.
• Argued for the interests of small states.
• New Jersey Plan
• One House Legislature
• One Representative each state.