The document summarizes the issues with the Articles of Confederation government and the events that led to the 1787 Constitutional Convention. It describes the problems of state power under the Articles, the need for a stronger national government, and the guidelines for delegates to the convention. It then outlines some of the debates and compromises that took place between federalists and anti-federalists and between large and small states that resulted in the bicameral legislature, three branches of government, and other key aspects of the new US Constitution.

2. FAILURE OF ARTICLES
OF CONFEDERATION
State governments too powerful:
–Power to tax:
–Power to regulate trade:
–Power to dictate policy to national
government:
–Power to raise militia:

3. NEED FOR A STRONGER
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
• Great Britain was waiting for the United
States to fail:
• Large states taking advantage of small
states:
• Jealousy kept states from working
together:
• U-N-I-T-E-D STATES was not united:

4. SOLUTION

5. Government officials
realized after Shays’
Rebellion that a change
was needed
A convention of
representatives from
each state were called
to Philadelphia in 1787

7. STATEHOUSE IN PHILADELPHIA
SITE OF THE CONVENTION

9. There were 74
men asked to
come to
Philadelphia
but only
delegates
arrived in
Philadelphia

10. CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION

11. The average age of a
delegate was 44 years
old

12. JONATHAN DAYTON
(New Jersey) was the
youngest at age 26
BEN FRANKLIN
(Pennsylvania)
was the oldest
at age 81

13. Most had some
experience as
politicians in their home
states

14. 40 of the delegates had
been members of the
Continental Congress

15. 34 of the 55 were
lawyers
Also included soldiers,
planters, educators,
ministers, physicians,
financiers, and
merchants

16. Most were very wealthy
and many owned slaves

17. All the delegates were
white men

18. None of the delegates
were African-
Americans, Hispanic,
women, poor

19. GUIDELINES FOR THE
CONVENTION
•Work of the Convention would remain
a secret:
•White, highly educated, successful
men with political experience would
be sent:
•A majority vote was required on an
issue:

20. PROBLEMS AT THE
CONVENTION
•Small States and Large State
cannot agree on representation;
•Northern States and Southern
States cannot agree on the issue
of slavery;
•Federalist and Anti-Federalist
cannot agree on the power of the

21.  Bicameral Legislature (Two – houses)
 Both houses will base representation on
population with equal number of
representatives in each house
 Will have a president, legislature, and court
system—Three Branches of Government!
 Chief executive chosen by legislature and
court system
Proposed by:
Edmund Randolf

22. Unicameral Legislature (One – house)
Representation in legislature will be the
same for all states
Congress could tax and regulate trade
Proposed by:
William Patterson

23.  Resolved Virginia and New Jersey Plans
 Bicameral legislature (Two – houses)
 Representation in one house (the House of
Representatives) will be determined by
population (representative elected by the
people)
 Representation in the other house (the Senate)
will be the same for each state (two per state,
elected by the state legislature)
Proposed by:
Roger Sherman

25. Fixing problems with commerce and trade
 Congress was allowed to regulate interstate
and foreign trade.
 Congress could tax imports, but not exports
 Congress was forbidden to restrict the
importation of slaves for 20 years, but could
levy a tax, for every imported slave as much
as $10.
 Slaves were not considered free if they ran
away to a free state, but rather had to be
returned if caught.

26. Three-Fifths Compromise
Counted every 5 slaves as 3 free
persons for taxation and
representation purposes in
Congress.

27. Elected by Congress??
Elected by the people??
Compromise: The Electoral
College

28. Anti-Federalists disapproved
Federalists fought against Anti-
Federalists