Chapter Two: Origins of American Government

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Chapter TwoOrigins of American Government

• Section Four
• Creating the Constitution

2
The Constitutional Convention

• May 25, 1781
• Philadelphia
• Under close guard
• 12 of 13 attended

3
The Framers

• 74 delegates chosen, only 55 attended
• described as brilliant, demi-gods
• experience in military and government

4
Organization Procedure

• Independence Hall
• chose Washington as pres. of convention
• Adopted regulations
• Majority of States needed for business
• Each State had one vote on all matters
• Majority vote would carry any proposal

5
Working in Secrecy

• Convention attracted much interest
• Delegates adopted well-kept rule of secrecy
• Secretary appointed for official record
• William Jackson - sketchy records
• Delegates often kept own records
• Most notable James Madison
• Father of the Constitution

6
Virginia Plan

• Offered on May 29 (one day before proposal)
• Three branches of government
• Representation based on population or money given
  to central government
• Congress would choose executive/judiciary
• Oath to support Union

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New Jersey Plan

• Benefited smaller States
• Unicameral Congress with equal rep.
• Additional powers granted
• Federal executive of more than one person
• chosen by Congress
• Federal judiciary chosen by executive

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Connecticut Compromise

• The Great Compromise
• Congress should be bicameral
• House based on population
• Senate equal representation
• Solved most important dispute of Convention

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Three-Fifths Compromise

• Question how to count slaves
• Slave-holding States should be counted
• Non-holding States should not be counted
• Answer 3/5 of a person
• Negated with 13th Amendment

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Commerce Slave Trade Compromise

• Congress forbidden to tax exports from any State
• Congress could not act on the Slave Trade for a
  period of at least 20 years
• exception taxes on slaves

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Sources of the Constitution

• Governments of Ancient Greece Rome
• Governments of Great Britain Europe
• Political writings of the time
• Rousseau, Montesquieu, Locke, Blackstone
• Own experiences
• Continental Congress, Articles of Confederation,
  State governments