Details the essential compromises made during the 1787 Constitutional Convention that were necessary for the creation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
What was the main conflict between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?
The Virginia Plan proposed representation in Congress based on state population, favoring large states. The New Jersey Plan proposed equal representation for all states, favoring small states.
How did the Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise) resolve the legislative representation debate?
It created a bicameral (two-house) legislature. The House of Representatives provides proportional representation based on population (pleasing large states), while the Senate provides equal representation with two senators per state (pleasing small states).
What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
An agreement between Northern and Southern states that determined that three-fifths (\(\frac{3}{5}\)) of the enslaved population would be counted for purposes of both representation in the House of Representatives and for direct taxation.
What was the immediate political consequence of the Three-Fifths Compromise?
It artificially inflated the political power of the slaveholding Southern states in the House of Representatives and in the Electoral College, allowing them to dominate national politics for decades.
Why was the Electoral College created?
It was a compromise between electing the president by popular vote and electing the president by a vote in Congress. The Framers were wary of unchecked direct democracy and wanted a body of electors to act as a buffer.
What was the Compromise on the Importation of Slaves?
To appease Southern states, the Constitution included a clause preventing Congress from banning the international slave trade until the year \(1808\). This allowed the importation of enslaved people to continue for another \(20\) years.
Which part of government did the delegates agree should be directly elected by the people?
Only the House of Representatives. Senators were originally chosen by state legislatures (until the 17th Amendment), and the President is chosen by the Electoral College.
