Constitutional Convention

Successes of the Articles of Confederation

The Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787

New Jersey Plan

States would have an equal number of representatives regardless of their population (small state plan)

Articles of Confederation (1781)

The First American plan for government that established a confederation of states under a weak national government

Land Ordinance of 1785

A law that divided much of the United States into a system of townships to facilitate the sale of land to settlers.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

A law that established a procedure for the admission of new states to the country. It also banned slavery in the Northwest Territory,

Constitutional Convention (1787)

A meeting of state delegates in 1787 in Philadelphia called to revise the Articles of Confederation. It instead designed a new plan of government - the US Constitution.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement where 3 out of every 5 enslaved individuals would count towards population

Great Compromise

Created a bicameral legislature in which states would have equal representation in one house and representation based on population in the other house

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

No power to tax, No executive to enforce laws, States have different currencies, No standing military or navy

Antifederalists

People who didn't support the new constitution because they thought a strong national government would take away the rights of people.

Federalists

People who supported the new constitution because they believed in a stronger national government

Shay's Rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting .

Virginia Plan

Representation in Congress should based proportional based on a state's population (large state plan)

Senate

The upper house of congress based on equal representation (2 representatives per state)

House of Representatives

the lower house of congress where representation is based on population