A.+Considerations+that+influenced+the+formulation+and+adoption+of+the+Constitution

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**//Focus Question: What factors and individuals were involved in the writing and adoption of the Constitution?//**

 * //[[image:rotating gif.gif width="69" height="69"]]For more, see the following// **
 * ====**//United States History I.6 on the Articles of Confederation//**====
 * ====** //United States History I.7 on the Constitutional Convention// **====
 * ====**//United States History I.8 on Federalists and Anti-Federalists//**====
 * ====**//United States History I.8 on Federalists and Anti-Federalists//**====

** Before the Constitution **
// Articles of Confederation: March 1, 1781 to March 4, 1789 // The first form of government in the United States was the Articles of Confederation. However, the Articles did not create a foundation for the new country to be built on. Instead of enjoying the new independence, the US faced economic problems, state rivalries, and social inequalities. Since most feared a central government, the Articles were designed with very little power in the federal government. Congress couldn't collect taxes or regulate business. They had to ask the states for money to pay back loans, which the states usually denied. In 1787, the Continental Congress called for a delegation to create a new framework for the country. Click here to read the Articles of Confederation

Click here for a game from iCivics on the Articles of Confederation, its weaknesses, and how it lead to the creation of the Constitution.

Go to Articles of Confederation vs. Constitution for a lesson plan using the Common Core

** The Constitutional Convention **
The Convention began on May 25, 1787, when delegates arrived at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. Once the convention began, George Washington was elected President of the Convention. The attendees were sworn to secrecy on the proceedings. At the Constitutional Convention, many topics were debated. The results of the debates included:
 * Congress regulation of:
 * Economy
 * Currency
 * National Defense
 * No federal government veto over state laws
 * Congress could not interfere with the slave trade for 20 years
 * No discrimination for members of other states
 * "Full faith and credit"
 * Allow amendments to the Constitution in the future
 * Slaves would be counted as 3/5 person for the purpose of determining the number of electoral votes and the number of representatives
 * 1) Click [|here] to watch a video about the Constitutional Convention.

**The Virginia Plan vs. The New Jersey Plan**
//The Virginia Plan// This plan clearly favored the larger states. With their larger populations, they would have more representatives and power in a population-based legislature. The smaller states were obviously unhappy with this plan and proposed an alternative:
 * Presented by Governor Edmund Randolph
 * Partially written by James Madison
 * Strong national government
 * Two legislative branches determined by population
 * Proposed Council of Revision with a veto over state legislatures

//The New Jersey Plan//
 * Presented by William Paterson[[image:resourcesforhistoryteachers/voting record.jpg width="549" height="480" align="right" caption="Voting Records from the Constitutional Convention"]]
 * Limited federal powers
 * No new Congress
 * Advocated for equal representation for smaller states in legislature

//The Connecticut Compromise//
 * Proposed by Roger Sherman
 * Bicameral legislature
 * Upper House: Senate
 * Two representatives from each state
 * Lower House: House of Representatives
 * Number of representatives determined by population


 * 1) Click [|here] to know more about the Constitutional Convention.

Click here for a list of question and answers on the Constitution from the National Archives

Click here for James Madison's notes on the convention Click here to read the Constitution

Click here for a list of people who attended the Constitutional Convention and links to short biographies on each attendee.

Click here for a lesson on the Articles of Confederation vs the Constitution

** Ratifying the Constitution **
Before the Constitutional Convention ended, 39 out of the 55 delegates signed the document proposed. Many of the delegates refused to sign because there was no Bill of Rights. One delegate refused to sign because the Constitution did not end slavery and the slave trade.

For the Constitution to be adopted by the US, at least 9 of the 13 states needed to ratify the document.

During the ratification process, 2 groups emerged:


 * 1) Click [|here] to learn more about the ratification of the Constitution.

//This group supported the ratification of the Constitution.// James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a series of "Federalist Papers" to support the ratification. The Federalist Papers, published in various newspapers from October 1787 and August 1788, consisted of 85 articles supporting ratification, signed by Publius.
 * Federalists**

Click here to read the Federalist Papers

//This group opposed the ratification of the Constitution.// Famous anti-federalists include James Winthrop, Patrick Henry, and George Mason. They believed that the Constitution would lead to corruption. They supported the addition of the Bill of Rights.
 * Anti-Federalists**

Click here for a lesson plan on the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

On September 28, 1787, Congress ordered each state to hold state conventions. At the conventions, each state would decide on whether or not to ratify the Constitution. During the time that the states were debating the Constitution, the Federalists and Anti-Federalists took their debates public in newspapers and pamphlets. During the debates, the Federalists agreed to create a Bill of Rights when the Constitution was ratified. Chart with the 13 original colonies and their ratification dates. All dates and votes from usconstitution.net
 * **State** || **Date Ratified** || **Vote** ||
 * Delaware || December 7, 1787 || 30 yes, 0 no ||
 * Pennsylvania || December 12, 1787 || 46 yes, 23 no ||
 * New Jersey || December 18, 1787 || 38 yes, 0 no ||
 * Georgia || January 2, 1788 || 26 yes, 0 no ||
 * Connecticut || January 9, 1788 || 128 yes, 40 no ||
 * Massachusetts || February 6, 1788 || 187 yes, 168 no ||
 * Maryland || April 28, 1788 || 63 yes, 11 no ||
 * South Carolina || May 23, 1788 || 149 yes, 73 no ||
 * New Hampshire || June 21, 1788 || 57 yes, 47 no ||
 * Virginia || June 25, 1788 || 89 yes, 79 no ||
 * New York || July 26, 1788 || 30 yes, 27 no ||
 * North Carolina || November 21, 1789 || 194 yes, 77 no ||
 * Rhode Island || May 29, 1790 || 34 yes, 32 no ||

Click here for a lesson plan on the ratification of the Constitution from the Archives Click here for the Schoolhouse Rock video on the Constitution Click here for a "Crash Course" on the Constitution, Federalism, and the Articles Click here for a game on the Constitution and rights


 * 1) Click [|here] and [|here] to watch a video about the ratification of the Constitution.

**The Bill of Rights**
James Madison helped to create the Bill of Rights. On June 8,1789 Madison proposed nine amendments with nineteen provisions to Congress. A House of Representatives committee, including Madison, was formed to draft a bill regarding the amendments. The committee changed, eliminated, and added to the proposed amendments. The result was twelve amendments that were sent to the states for ratification. Two of the amendments were not approved by the states. They were regarding salary of Congressmen and the size of the House. The Bill of Rights officially became part of the Constitution when Virginia ratified the amendments on December 15, 1791.

Click here to read the proposed amendments to the Constitution

Click here to read the Bill of Rights
 * 1) Click [|here] to watch a video about James Madison and the Constitution.

Sources: 1. The Constitutional Convention, University of Missouri, Kansas City. http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/convention1787.html 2. The Constitution, The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/the-constitution 3. Antifederalists, USHistory.org. http://www.ushistory.org/us/16b.asp 4. Constitution Day, Scholastic News. http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/constitution_day/background/index.asp?article=billofrights