Chapter 2: Constitution 2.3,2.4,2.5

Constitutional Convention

Fifty-five delegates arrived in Philadelphia in May 1787 for the meeting that became known as the Constitutional Convention

Goals of the constitution

-While seeking to protect the rights of individuals from government abuse, they nevertheless wished to create a society in which concerns for law and order did not give way in the face of demands for individual liberty -They wished to give political rights to all free men but also feared mob rule, which many felt would have been the result of Shays' Rebellion had it succeeded -Those who favored a nation free of the influence of slavery feared that southerners might attempt to make it a permanent part of American society -The only decision that all could agree on was the election of George Washington, the former commander of the Continental Army and hero of the American Revolution, as the president of the convention.

Small States

Delegates from small states objected to this Virginia Plan. -Another proposal, the New Jersey Plan, called for a unicameral legislature with one house, in which each state would have one vote. -Thus, smaller states would have the same power in the national legislature as larger states. -However, the larger states argued that because they had more residents, they should be allotted more legislators to represent their interests

Unicameral Congress

Delegates who feared a powerful Government typically approved the approach of the New Jersey Plan, which retained the unicameral Congress that had existed under the Articles of Confederation. -It gave additional power to the national government, such as the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce and to compel states to comply with laws passed by Congress.

Fear of Powerful Government

Feared that a strong national government might become too powerful and use its authority to oppress citizens and deprive them of their rights. They advocated a central government with sufficient authority to defend the nation but insisted that other powers be left to the states, which were believed to be better able to understand and protect the needs and interests of their residents

Slavery and Freedom

Following the Revolution, some of the northern states had either abolished slavery or instituted plans by which slaves would gradually be emancipated. -In 1783, Massachusetts had freed all enslaved people within the state. -Many Americans believed slavery was opposed to the ideals stated in the Declaration of Independence. -Others felt it was inconsistent with the teachings of Christianity. -southerners shared similar sentiments, none of the southern states had abolished slavery and none wanted the Constitution to interfere with the institution. In addition to supporting the agriculture of the South, slaves could be taxed as property and counted as population for purposes of a state's representation in the government.

Revising articles of confederation

In 1786, Virginia and Maryland invited delegates from the other eleven states to meet in Annapolis, Maryland, for the purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation. Only five states sent reps; they postponed the meeting until next year. The year after it failed -Because the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation proved impossible to overcome, the convention that met in Philadelphia in 1787 decided to create an entirely new government.

Power retained under (Unicameral Congress)

States still retained a lot of power, including power over the national government. Congress, for example, could not impose taxes without the consent of the states. Furthermore, the nation's chief executive, appointed by the Congress, could be removed by Congress if state governors demanded it.

New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan favored maintaining a one-house Congress with each state being equally represented.

The Virginia Plan

The Virginia Plan called for a two-house legislature. Representation in both houses would be based on population. A state's representatives in one house would be elected by the state's voters. These representatives would then appoint representatives to the second house from among candidates chosen by the state's legislature. -Besides giving more power to populous states, the Virginia Plan also favored a strong national government that would legislate for the states in many areas and would have the power to veto laws passed by state legislatures.

Individual Liberty vs. Social Stability

The belief that the king and Parliament had deprived colonists of their liberties had led to the Revolution, and many feared the government of the United States might one day attempt to do the same. -

What did people want from the Constitution that the government would implement?

They wanted and expected their new government to guarantee the rights of life, liberty, and property. Others believed it was more important for the national government to maintain order, and this might require it to limit personal liberty at times. All Americans, however, desired that the government not intrude upon people's rights to life, liberty, and property without reason.

Small States vs. Large States

When discussing the structure of the government under the new constitution, the delegates from Virginia called for a bicameral legislature consisting of two houses (Virginia Large State). -state's representatives in each house was to be based on the state's population. -In each state, representatives in the lower house would be elected by popular vote. -These representatives would then select their state's representatives in the upper house from among candidates proposed by the state's legislature. -Once a representative's term in the legislature had ended, the representative could not be reelected until an unspecified amount of time had passed.

Federal Supremacy vs. State Sovereignty

Without the authority to maintain and command an army and navy, the nation could not defend itself at a time when European powers still maintained formidable empires in North America. Without the power to tax and regulate trade, the government would not have enough money to maintain the nation's defense, protect American farmers and manufacturers from foreign competition, create the infrastructure necessary for interstate commerce and communications, maintain foreign embassies, or pay federal judges and other government officials