Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
Constitutional convention summary
Constitutional convention summary
Gun control united states amendment
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Constitutional convention summary
Constitutional convention summary
Gun control united states amendment
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Constitutional convention summary
Final Exam Part I: QA2 The Virginia Plan a New Constitution The Virginia Plan proposed a new Constitution designed as a republic and a strong national government. The most distinguished feature of the plan created structural changes as well as delegated sovereignty to the Federal government and the people. This transfer of power diminished the role of the States in the national government. The Virginia Plan structurally replaced the unicameral Congress by separating federal power among three branches of government, a bicameral legislature, an executive and a judiciary.
The Virginia Plan was a plan drafted by James Madison and was presented by Edmund Randolf. It was presented to the Constitutional Convention on May 29, 1787. According to the plan, a strong central government had three branches: legislative, judicial, and executive. The plan also proposed two houses: the first one had members elected by the people for three-year terms; the second one had older leaders elected by the state legislatures for seven-year terms. The role of the plan was important for “setting the stage for the convention.”
During the Constitutional Convention, in the summer of 1787, several divisions arose among the delegates. There were differences between the northern vs. southern states, merchants vs. farmers, free vs. slave states, large vs. small states, and east vs. west. However, the main division of the Constitutional Convention was the Virginia Plan vs. the New Jersey Plan, essentially the large states vs. small states. The primary objective of the meeting was to somehow find a balance of power without leaving any one group or person with absolute control.
Ratified in 1781, they outlined the framework for a Congressional government. After a trial period of ten years, the Congress came to the conclusion that the government which had been created by the articles was too weak and needed revision. In May of 1787, delegates from several states convened to begin discussion about a new system. Over the next several months, plans like the Virginia plan, which advocated for a bicameral government, and the New Jersey plan, which advocated for a unicameral government, were put forward. Through a series of compromises, the Connecticut plan, also known as the “Great Compromise,” was adopted.
Constitutional Convention In 1787, Washington was persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention and was popularly chosen as president. The Convention met in Philadelphia from May 14 to September 17. Delegates gathered to correct the various problems that had come up.
The two plans that were presented was the The Virginia Plan and The New Jersey Plan. The Virginia plan was drafted by James Madison. While he waited for a an appropriate number of delegates to gather at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The Virginia plan gave all power to the government. The New Jersey Plan was a proposal to structure the United States Government which was presented by William Paterson also at the Constitutional Convention 1787.
The ratification of the Constitution in 1788 was a controversial dispute among Federalists and Anti-Federalists for several years. Due to the document’s failure to incorporate sufficient liberties both for suppressed blacks and white statesmen, the United States Constitution had many critics. The white majority feared the scope of the federal government’s power while the black minority had their own suspicions. Arguments regarding the rights of African American colonists exploded with the passing of the Constitution. Worries stirred concerning the Constitution’s listed rights that geared more towards whites and the permission of slavery.
The Constitutional Convention was arranged for the “purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation” (208). As a result, it was concluded that the power of this great nation should fall in the hands of a “direct authority” rather than within each state (209). Additionally, the national government must provide the Constitution as the representation of the people’s voice and their rights. Consequently, the New Jersey plan became in effect in which equal representation amongst the states in a “unicameral (one-house)” (210).
The Constitutional compromise between the small and large states is also known as the Connecticut Compromise of 1787. When the Constitution was written it allocated the government to have two separate legislative branches, the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, the Constitution did not write exactly how these two branches of government would be elected. In fact, they put the election part of the two branches of government in the hands of the states. Unfortunately, this began a bigger issue than I believe our forefathers realized, because every state varied in how they elected their government officials.
The Framers anticipated that the U.S. Constitution would need to be amended from time to time, what James Madison referred to as “to originate the amendment of errors.” he 55 Framers who met in Philadelphia during the spring and summer of 1787 understood that they were drafting a Constitution to last a very long time. “We are not forming plans for a Day Month Year or Age,” delegate John Dickinson wrote, “but for Eternity.” Of course, a document designed to last a very long time must include a method of amendment. In crafting their amendment procedures, the Framers resorted to two mechanisms widely employed at the time: legislatures and conventions.
A couple of ideas and events led to believe that in 1786 and 1787 that the Articles of Confederation were lacking provisions for a strong and central government that were not working well. These events and ideas made a big impact on the government we have today in the United States. The Articles of Confederation were a model to the present day Constitution; it took many trials and tribulations to finally get it right. The events that took place showed the people what the Articles were lacking.
The meaning of the term “American Exceptionalism” refers to the firmness in America and how it’s different than the others. The American Constitution Convention in 1787 was faced with thirteen states found a way to fix the nation; however, the conflict came when everyone had different ideas and no one wanted to compromise. Benjamin Franklin suggested that the nation problems could be fixed by beginning each day with a prayer. David Barton argues that the U.S. Constitution was divinely inspired, he proves that the Constitution was largely based on the Bible.
Assembling in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were focused on ending the era of economic depression, social uncertainty, and leadership under an unhealthy central government that had followed independence (McKay, Crowston, Wiesner-Hanks, & Perry, 2017). Members permitted to discuss their differences without any consequences or retaliation while in attendance of the Constitutional Convention. These delegates were elected due to them being members of the social and educational elite, they were also young, wealthy, and desired to make the national government strong, while promoting economic and social stability (Schultz, 2013). The two main divisions at the Constitutional Convention were the large
When the delegates of the Constitutional Convention met they wanted to establish a leader since under the Articles of the Confederation there was no executive branch. So the delegates decided to create the offices of the president of the vice president. The delegates were in fear of a creating tyrant like they had previously with Britain, so they had to limit this new leader’s power. To prevent a tyrant from ruling again the delegates creating the Electoral College and this system is where the people select to president and the vice president indirectly. The reason the delegates did not let the people chose directly was they did not trust them because most Americans were illiterate at the time and heard their news from others.
On May 25, 1787, the delegates chosen to represent their states at the Constitutional Convention would never have imagined the great impact they have held for over the past 200 years. The Framers of the Constitution were visionaries. Most of the contributors of the Constitution were older, wealthy, well-educated business owners with the intent of creating the best nation in the world. These intelligent people sought to find a new functional form of government that would outlast the former one they fled from. Two of the most crucial contributors of the constitution include George Washington and James Madison.