Crash Course: Introduction to the U.S. Constitution

Overview

• Presenter: Craig
• Focus: United States Constitution, its creation, and its significance
• Contextual Note: This follows the U.S. History series by John Green

Background

• The U.S. Constitution is America's second attempt at a government
• The first government was established under the Articles of Confederation

Articles of Confederation

• Duration: Revolutionary War period and nearly 10 years after
• Weaknesses:
  • No executive branch or president
  • No judiciary to settle disputes
  • Congress with equal representation for each state, leading to gridlock
  • No power to levy taxes, relied on state donations
  • Success: Northwest Ordinance of 1787 (Rules for western settlements and statehood, forbade slavery in these territories)

Issues with Articles Government

• Ineffective governance due to lack of central authority
• Diverse needs and interests of states, especially larger vs. smaller states

Constitutional Convention of 1787

• Purpose: To revise the Articles, but ended up creating a new Constitution
• Key Issue: Representation in Congress
  • Virginia Plan: Representation based on population (favored by larger states)
  • New Jersey Plan: Equal representation for each state (favored by smaller states)

Key Compromises

• The Great Compromise: Bicameral legislature:
  • House of Representatives (based on population)
  • Senate (equal representation)
• Three-Fifths Compromise:
  • Slaves counted as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes
  • Embedded the notion that slaves were worth less than free people and embedded slavery into the Constitution

Ratification

• Required approval by 9 out of 13 states
• Special conventions held in each state
• Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists:
  • Federalists: Supported strong central government, wrote Federalist Papers (Hamilton, Madison, Jay)
  • Anti-Federalists: Feared large government could infringe on individual liberties, preferred state power
  • Federalists' promise of a Bill of Rights facilitated ratification

Conclusion

• The U.S. Constitution was built on compromise, which remains fundamental to American government
• Despite being seen as a strong foundation post-ratification, its acceptance was contested and required assurances like the Bill of Rights

Key Takeaway

• Compromise and balancing disparate interests were and remain central to American governance

Additional Notes

• The educational series is produced in association with PBS Digital Studios and supported by Voqal.