With George Washington presiding, the Constitutional Convention formally convenes on this day in 1787. Originally meant to revise the Articles of Confederation, the convention turned to a daunting task: the creation of a new country. The Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, was mainly authored by James Madison.
Major Compromises
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
Electoral College
◦Compromise of participatory/elitist models
◦People vote (participatory) for electors (elitist) who then vote for president
◦Mostly a winner take all system
◦# Votes Congressional representation = ◦# of Reps (population) + 2 senators
◦People vote (participatory) for electors (elitist) who then vote for president
◦Mostly a winner take all system
◦# Votes Congressional representation = ◦# of Reps (population) + 2 senators
3/5 Compromise – Slavery “Importance”
◦For House representation (population based), each slave was counted as 3/5 of a person
◦Also included the Fugitive Slave Act
◦Northern economy did not depend of slavery
◦Southern economy was dependent on slavery, south believed it was the state’s right
◦Also included the Fugitive Slave Act
◦Northern economy did not depend of slavery
◦Southern economy was dependent on slavery, south believed it was the state’s right