2 Creating the TERMS & NAMES

Constitutional
Convention

Constitution James Madison

Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan
Great Compromise
MAIN IDEA WHY IT MATTERS NOW Three-Fifths
Compromise
The states sent delegates to a The Constitutional Convention
convention to solve the problems of formed the plan of government that
the Articles of Confederation. the United States still has today.

ONE AMERICAN’S STORY

On the afternoon of May 15, 1787, Edmund Randolph, the
young governor of Virginia, arrived in Philadelphia for the
Constitutional Convention. The young nation faced violence
and lawlessness, as Shays’s Rebellion had shown. And now
delegates from throughout the states were coming to
Philadelphia to discuss reforming the government.
Randolph knew the serious task he and the other
delegates were about to undertake. Early in the convention,
Randolph rose to speak. He looked squarely at the delegates
and reminded them of their grave responsibility.

A V O I C E F R O M T H E PA S T
Edmund
Let us not be afraid to view with a steady eye the [dangers] Randolph (left)
with which we are surrounded. . . . Are we not on the eve and the other
of [a civil] war, which is only to be prevented by the hopes delegates
from this convention? gathered in the
Edmund Randolph, quoted in Edmund Randolph: A Biography Pennsylvania
State House
(above) to discuss
Over the next four months, the delegates debated how best to creating a new
keep the United States from falling apart. In this section, you will read government for
the United States.
about the Convention of 1787 and the creation of the U.S. Constitution.

A Constitutional Convention Is Called

In 1786, a series of events began that would eventually lead to a new
form of government for the United States. In September of that year,
delegates from five states met in Annapolis, Maryland, to discuss ways to
promote trade among their states. At the time, most states placed high
taxes on goods from other states. The delegates believed that creating
national trade laws would help the economies of all the states.
Making such changes required amending the Articles of Confederation,
because the national government had been granted no power to regulate
trade among the states. The Annapolis delegates, led by Alexander
Hamilton of New York, called for the states to send representatives to

212 CHAPTER 8
 Philadelphia the following May to discuss such changes.
At first, many Americans doubted that the national
government needed strengthening. But news of Shays’s
Rebellion in late 1786 and early 1787 quickly changed INDEPENDENCE HALL
The Pennsylvania State House,
many people’s minds. Fearing that rebellion might where the Constitutional
spread, 12 states sent delegates to the meeting in Convention took place, is now
Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. Only Rhode called Independence Hall. It is
protected as part of a national
Background Island refused to participate.
park in Philadelphia.
Rhode Island did
The State House itself was the
not send dele-
gates because it
The Convention’s Delegates site where George Washington
received his commission to lead
feared that a The 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention, as
the Continental Army and where
strong national the Philadelphia meeting became known, were a very the Declaration of Independence
government
would force
impressive group. About half were lawyers. Others were was signed. The Liberty Bell is
planters, merchants, and doctors. Three-fourths of them nearby. Many visitors
people to repay
come to Philadelphia
the war debts on had been representatives in the Continental Congress. to stand in the
difficult terms.
Many had been members of their state legislatures and building where
had helped write their state constitutions. Along with much of America’s
early history as a
other leaders of the time, these delegates are called the nation was made.
Founders, or Founding Fathers, of the United States.
America’s most famous men were at the Con-
stitutional Convention. George Washington, the hero
of the Revolution, came out of retirement for the
meeting. Benjamin Franklin, the famous scientist and
statesman, lent his wit and wisdom to the convention.
One of the ablest delegates was James Madison.
A. Evaluating Madison had read more than a hundred books on gov-
How well do the ernment in preparation for the meeting. When
characteristics of Thomas Jefferson, serving as ambassador to France,
the Founders
serve as models read the list of delegates, he wrote, “It is really an
of civic virtue? assembly of demigods.”
A. Possible Not everyone was at the Constitutional Convention. Thomas
Response
They provide an
Jefferson and John Adams were overseas at their diplomatic posts. But
excellent model they wrote home to encourage the delegates. Others had a less positive
of civic virtue outlook on the convention. For example, Patrick Henry, who had been
because they
were educated,
elected as a delegate from Virginia, refused to attend. He said he
well-informed, “smelled a rat in Philadelphia, tending toward monarchy.”
and actively par- Also, the convention did not reflect the diverse U.S. population of the
ticipated in
government.
1780s. There were no Native Americans, African Americans, or women
among the delegates. The nation’s early leaders did not consider these
groups of people to be citizens and did not invite any of them to attend.
However, the framework of government the Founders established is the
very one that would eventually provide full rights and responsibilities to
all Americans.

The Delegates Assemble

Most of the delegates arrived at the Constitutional Convention without
a clear idea of what to expect. Some thought they would only draft

Confederation to Constitution 213

 amendments to the Articles of Confederation. Others
thought they would design an entirely new plan for the
government. But they all agreed that the government
should protect people’s rights.
Back in 1776, many Americans thought that govern-
ment was the main threat to people’s rights. But by
1787, many realized that the people often came into
conflict and needed a government that could maintain B. Possible
order. As a result, the government had to be strong Responses The
problem is in
enough to protect people’s rights but not too strong to framing a govern-
be controlled. Madison later wrote about this problem. ment that can
control itself
A V O I C E F R O M T H E PA S T as well as the
governed.
JAMES MADISON If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If
1751–1836 angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal B. Using Primary
James Madison was a short, soft- controls on government would be necessary. In framing a Sources
spoken man, but he may have government which is to be administered by men over men, According to
made the greatest contribution the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the Madison, what is
of any of the Founders at the government to control the governed; and in the next place the central prob-
Constitutional Convention. He oblige it [the government] to control itself. lem in framing a
took thorough notes of the con- James Madison, The Federalist “Number 51” government?
vention’s proceedings. His notes
are the most detailed picture we
have of the debates and drama This was the challenge that faced the delegates:
of the convention. how to set up a strong but limited federal government.
But Madison did not just
observe the convention. He was By May 25, 1787, at least two delegates from each
of seven states had arrived in Philadelphia. With 29 C. Possible
perhaps the most important par-
Responses Some
ticipant. One of the other dele- delegates in attendance, the convention was officially students might
gates called him “the best
informed Man of any point in
under way. agree because the
delegates might
debate.” Madison was so impor-
tant that he earned the title The Convention Begins not have felt free
to have an honest
“Father of the Constitution.”
The first order of business was to elect a president for debate without
How did Madison contribute
to the Constitutional
the convention. Robert Morris of Pennsylvania nomi- secrecy. Others
might disagree
Convention? nated George Washington. No American was more because they
respected or admired than Washington. Every delegate believe people
voted for him. Washington’s quiet and dignified leader- should have had
the right to know
ship set a solemn and serious tone for the convention. what the dele-
At their next meeting, the delegates decided on the rules for the con- gates were doing.
vention. They wanted to be able to consider all ideas and to be able to
C. Making
change sides in any debate. They did not want to be pressured by the
Decisions Do you
politics of the day. For these reasons, they decided that their discussions agree with the
would remain secret. To ensure privacy, the windows in their meeting Founders’ deci-
room were kept shut even though it was summer. Guards were posted sion to keep the
convention
outside the door. Whenever the door was opened, the delegates stopped secret? Why or
talking. With the secrecy rule approved, they got down to business. why not?

The Virginia Plan

On May 29, the delegates began the real work of designing a new
national government. Presiding over the convention, George Washington

214 CHAPTER 8
 The delegates at
the Constitutional
Convention
debated the
Constitution
intensely.

recognized Edmund Randolph as the first speaker. Randolph offered a

plan for a whole new government. The plan became known as the
Virginia Plan. Madison, Randolph, and the other Virginia delegates had
drawn up the plan while they waited for the convention to open.
The Virginia Plan proposed a government that would
have three branches. The first branch of government was the
legislature, which made the laws. The second branch was the “If men were
executive, which enforced the laws. The third branch was the angels, no
judiciary, which interpreted the laws.
The Virginia Plan proposed a legislature with two houses.
government
In both houses, the number of representatives from each would be
state would be based on the state’s population or its wealth. necessary.”
The legislature would have the power to levy taxes, regulate James Madison
D. Summarizing
What was the commerce, and make laws “in all cases where the separate
Virginia Plan? states are incompetent [unable].”
D. Answer It was The Virginia Plan led to weeks of debate. Because they had larger
the plan for the
legislature
populations, larger states supported the plan. It would give them greater
offered by the representation in the legislature. The smaller states opposed this plan.
Virginia delegates They worried that the larger states would end up ruling the others.
to the conven-
tion. It proposed
Delaware delegate John Dickinson voiced the concerns of the small states.
a legislature with
two houses with A V O I C E F R O M T H E PA S T
representation Some of the members from the small states wish for two branches in the
based on popula- general legislature and are friends to a good [strong] national government;
tion or wealth. but we would sooner submit [give in] to a foreign power than submit to
be deprived, in both branches of the legislature, of an equal suffrage [vote],
and thereby be thrown under the domination of the larger states.
John Dickinson, quoted in Mr. Madison’s Constitution

The Great Compromise

In response to the Virginia Plan, New Jersey delegate William Paterson
presented an alternative on June 15. The New Jersey Plan called for a
legislature with only one house. In it, each state would have one vote.
In providing equal representation to each state, the New Jersey Plan
was similar to the Articles of Confederation.
Even though the New Jersey Plan gave the legislature the power to
regulate trade and to raise money by taxing foreign goods, it did not
offer the broad powers proposed by the Virginia Plan. The delegates

Confederation to Constitution 215

 The Great Compromise
VIRGINIA PLAN
● The legislative branch would have two houses.
● The Senate would
give each state equal
● Both houses in the legislature would assign representation.
representatives according to state population
or wealth. THE GREAT The legislature would have
COMPROMISE two houses.
NEW JERSEY PLAN ● The House of Representatives
● The legislature would have one house. would have representation
according to state population.
● Each state would have one vote in the
legislature.

SKILLBUILDER Interpreting Charts

1. Which plan appealed more to the small states?
2. Did the Great Compromise include more of what the large
states wanted or more of what the small states wanted?

Skillbuilder
Answers voted on these two plans on June 19. The Virginia Plan won and became
1. the New Jersey
the framework for drafting the Constitution.
Plan
2. Possible During the rest of June, the delegates argued over representation in the
Response It legislature. Emotions ran high as the delegates struggled for a solution.
included more of In desperation, the delegates selected a committee to work out a com-
what the large
states wanted promise in early July. The committee offered the Great Compromise. Background
because there were (Some people also refer to it as the Connecticut Compromise.) Roger Sherman of
Connecticut is
two houses in the To satisfy the smaller states, each state would have an equal number widely credited
legislature, one of
which had repre-
of votes in the Senate. To satisfy the larger states, the committee set with proposing
sentation by popu- representation in the House of Representatives according to state pop- the Great
Compromise.
lation. ulations. More than a week of arguing followed the introduction of the
plan, but on July 16, 1787, the convention passed it.

Slavery and the Constitution

Because representation in the House of Representatives would be based
on the population of each state, the delegates had to decide who would
be counted in that population. The Southern states had many more
slaves than the Northern states. Southerners wanted the slaves to be
counted as part of the general population for representation but not for
taxation. Northerners argued that slaves were not citizens and should
not be counted for representation but should be counted for taxation.
On this issue, the delegates reached another compromise, known as
the Three-Fifths Compromise. Under this compromise, three-fifths of
the slave population would be counted when setting direct taxes on the
states. This three-fifths ratio also would be used to determine represen-
tation in the legislature.
The delegates had another heated debate about the slave trade.
Slavery had already been outlawed in several Northern states. All of the
Northern states and several of the Southern states had banned the

216 CHAPTER 8
 importation of slaves. Many Northerners wanted to see
E. Forming and this ban extended to the rest of the nation. But
Supporting
Southern slaveholders strongly disagreed. The delegates
Opinions Did the PRESERVING THE
delegates do the from South Carolina and Georgia stated that they CONSTITUTION
right thing in would never accept any plan “unless their right to The National Archives is
agreeing to the responsible for preserving the
import slaves be untouched.” Again, the delegates set-
Three-Fifths 200-year-old sheets of parch-
Compromise? tled on a compromise. On August 29, they agreed that ment on which the original
Explain. Congress could not ban the slave trade until 1808. Constitution was first written.
E. Possible The Archives stores the
Responses Some
might say no,
Regulating Trade document in an airtight glass
case enclosed in a 55-ton vault
because the Aside from delaying any ban on the slave trade, the of steel and concrete. Every
Founders should Constitution placed few limits on Congress’s power “to few years, scientists examine
have abolished the pages with the latest
slavery. Others
regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the technology. For the last exami-
might say yes, several states, and with the Indian tribes.” Most dele- nation in 1995, they used
because otherwise gates were glad that Congress would regulate—and even fiber-optic light sources and
the Southern computer-guided electronic
states might not
promote—commerce. After all, commercial problems cameras designed for
have ratified the were the main cause of the Annapolis Convention in space exploration.
Constitution. 1786. Southerners, however, succeeded in banning
Congress from taxing exports because Southern
economies depended on exports. The commerce clause also showed the
shadowy status that Native Americans had under the Constitution. They
were neither foreign nations nor part of the separate states.
The Constitutional Convention continued to meet into September.
On Saturday, September 15, 1787, the delegates voted their support for
the Constitution in its final form. On Sunday, it was written out on four
sheets of thick parchment. On Monday, all but three delegates signed
the Constitution. It was then sent, with a letter signed by George
Washington, to the Confederation Congress, which sent it to the states
for ratification, or approval. In the next section, you will read about the
debate over ratification.

Section 2 Assessment
1. Terms & Names 2. Taking Notes 3. Main Ideas 4. Critical Thinking
Explain the Use a chart like the one a. What was the relation- Analyzing Points of View
significance of: below to take notes on the ship between the Annapolis How did the delegates at the
• Constitutional contributions made by the Convention and the Consti- convention differ on the issue
Convention leading delegates at the tutional Convention? of representation in the new
Constitutional Convention. b. What is the significance of government?
• James Madison
• Virginia Plan Delegate Contribution the date 1787? THINK ABOUT
• New Jersey Plan c. How did the Constitutional • the large states and the
• Great Compromise Convention reach a compro- small states
mise on the issue of slavery? • the Virginia Plan
• Three-Fifths
Compromise • the New Jersey Plan
• the Great Compromise
ACTIVITY OPTIONS
TECHNOLOGY Think about the Three-Fifths Compromise. Make an audio recording of a
speech or draw a political cartoon that expresses your views on the issue.
ART

Confederation to Constitution 217