The Constitution of the United States of America: Study Guide

SWBAT:

1)Describe the two compromises regarding the issue of slavery.

2)Describe and explain the role of each of the Three Branches of the US government.

3)Explain principles of Checks and Balances and give examples of how each branch is effected by the others.

4)Discuss how the Constitution

a)Prevents a Tyranny

b)Restrains a Mob

Articles of Confederation proved to be too weak to handle the affairs of the nation

  • Could not prevent or protect against mobs
  • Could not guarantee the rise of tyranny in any particular state

A constitutionalconvention was called together to discuss changes to the Articles of Confederation

  • Philadelphia, May 25, 1787
  • George Washington was elected President of the Convention
  • Members quickly decided AoC could not be fixed and a new constitution was needed
  • The talks were held in secret to allow for open and honest discussion and prevent arguments against changing the AoC

Guiding Principles of the Convention

  • prevent a tyranny
  • restrain the mob

Main Points

  • The states were too strong and a weak federal/national government might allow a tyranny to rise
  • The national government needed more power, especially to tax
  • Disagreements about

Representation, Big States vs Small States

-By population or by state?

Slavery

First Suggested Plan (Big State Plan)

  • called the Virginia Plan
  • suggested three branches
  1. Bicameral (two house) Legislature

States represented in two houses, based on population

Lower house elected by the people according to population

Upper house to be elected by lower house

power to tax, regulate trade, make treaties with other nations

  1. Executive
  2. Judiciary

Second Plan (Small State Plan)

  • called New Jersey Plan

Unicameral (One House) Legislature

One vote for each state

Power to tax and regulate trade

The Great Compromise (create a way to get equal representation for the smaller states)

  • After weeks of debate and small states threatening to quit, a compromise was reached
  • The Legislature would be bicameral…
  1. The House of Representatives: each state gets 1 representative per 40,000 residents
  2. The Senate: each state gets 2 Senators. elected by the state governments (this will change)

Slavery

  • How would slaves be represented?
  • Southern states wanted them counted for representation but not for taxing (they certainly could not vote)
  • Northern states wanted them counted for taxing but not representation (since they were not free).
  • Southern states threatened to drop out of the USA if slavery or the slave trade were outlawed.

Compromises over Slavery

•The Three-Fifths Compromise: 3/5ths of the slave population would be counted for both taxing purposes and for representation in the House of Representatives.

•The importation of slaves into the USA would not be interfered with by the national government for 20 years, which was 1808.

•In 1808, it was ended.

The Three Branches of Government

Also!

Be Sure to use your notes from the Constitution Search Activity