1. The Constitution originally lacked a Bill of Rights. George Mason from Virginia presented a proposal to add a bill of rights to the document. But his offer was voted down. The Bill of Rights ended up being added later in 1791. 2. Rhode Island was not represented at the Convention. Out of the 13 original states, Rhode Island was the only one that did not have a delegation present for the Philadelphia Convention. Because of that the smallest state in the Union boycotted the Convention over its belief that the new central government formed would damage its own power. Rhode Island residents voted down ratification in 1788. 3. Three men refused to sign the Constitution. George Mason from Virginia, Edmund Randolph also from Virginia, and Elbridge Gerry from Massachusetts refused to sign the Constitution in 1787. Just George Mason by himself listed 16 oppositions to the document on the back of a copy. Some objections were the lack of a bill of rights and the absence of not immediately abolishing the slave trade. 2. The founding father I picked was William Samuel Johnson born on October 7, 1727 in Stratford, CT and passed away November 14, 1819. In 1787, …show more content…
His speeches on the subject of representation carried great weight during the debate. During 1787 to 1800 he established the school on a firm basis and recruited a fine faculty. He looked to a strong federal government to protect the rights of Connecticut and other smaller states from encroachment by their more dominant neighbors. Johnson was significant even in the final stages of outlining the Constitution. He gave full support to the Connecticut Compromise that suggested the final Great Compromise which developed a national legislature. This national legislature would make it so there was equal representation for all states as well as a House of Representatives based on their