Heimler’s History: Unit 3 - Constitutional Convention

Introduction

• Discussion on the failure of the Articles of Confederation.
• The need for a new Constitution.
• Focus on the Constitutional Convention and differing ideological views.

Shay’s Rebellion

• Rebellion by Daniel Shay’s, a farmer that was discontent with with debt and high taxes imposed on the farming community after the revolutionary war.
• Foreclosure: Courts were seizing farms and imprisoning farmers in debt
• Shay’s and other farmers organized protests and shut down courts to stop foreclosures
• Shut down by private malitia
• Articles of confederation left government too weak to address these problems
• Left fears of anarchy and what would continue to happen if there wasn’t a stronger centralized government.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

• Triggered by Shays’s Rebellion: Rebellion by Daniel Shay’s, a farmer that was discontent with with debt and high taxes imposed on the farming community after the revolutionary war.
• Aimed to address the weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.
• Led by influential figures like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton.

Main Debates at the Convention

1. Representation in the Federal Government
   • Virginia Plan
     - Strong centralized state.
     - Bicameral legislature (two houses).
     - Representation based on population (favored by large states).
   • New Jersey Plan
     - Unicameral legislature (one house).
     - Equal representation for each state (favored by small states).
2. Great Compromise
   • Bicameral legislature established.
     - House of Representatives: Representation based on population.
     - Senate: Equal representation with two votes per state.
3. Representation of Enslaved People
   • Controversy over counting enslaved people for representation.
   • Three-Fifths Compromise: Three-fifths of the enslaved population counted.
   • Slavery not to be banned until 1808.

Voting and Election Outcomes

• House of Representatives: Direct election by the people (two-year terms).
• Senate: Elected by state legislatures (six-year terms).
• President: Elected via the Electoral College (states choose electors based on population).

Ratification of the Constitution

• Requirement: 9 out of 13 states needed to agree (ratify).

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists

• Federalists
  • Urban and commercial backgrounds.
  • Promoted ratification through the Federalist Papers (Hamilton, Madison, Jay).
• Anti-Federalists
  • Concerned about central government power.
  • Lacked a Bill of Rights in the Constitution.

Outcome

• Federalists won the ratification battle.
• Agreement to add a Bill of Rights post-ratification.
• By mid-1788, nine states ratified, making the Constitution the law of the land.

Conclusion

• Emphasis on learning this topic for AP U.S. History exams.
• Encouragement to subscribe to Heimler’s History for further educational content.