-The Constitutional Convention
-The role of James Madison
-How to select representatives
-The three-fifths compromise
-Checks and balances
-The electoral college


[SLIDE 1]

In May 1787, a controversial meeting took place. George Washington called the Constitutional Convention to order. Its deliberations would be secretive because of the complexity and controversial nature of what they were trying to do: revise the government already established. They didn't have the authority to do this, but most of those present wanted a stronger national government. Several notable men were not present: Jefferson was serving as ambassador to France, John Adams as ambassador to England. Others, like Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, and Thomas Paine, were suspicious and chose not to come. Rhode Island was the sole state that refused to send delegates. But other important figures were there: the aged Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. 

[SLIDE 2]

James Madison, a prominent Virginia plantation owner, is considered to be the Father of the Constitution. He drafted both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and then was one of the strongest voices arguing for ratification of the Constitution, which he accomplished through his writings in The Federalist Papers. Among his other important roles, he would be the fourth president of the United States. Right now, it is his role at the Constitutional Convention that interests us.

[SLIDE 3]

The Virginia delegation to the Constitutional Convention immediately put forward its own agenda, which was voiced by Virginia governor Edmund Randolph but had been drafted by Virginia delegate James Madison. Virginia wanted to separate the branches of government, but more controversially, it wanted a bicameral national legislature with population-weighted representation in both of the two houses. That outcome would favor Virginia as a large state. The issue of how to decide representation in the legislature had already caused difficulty earlier in formulating the Articles of Confederation. It was no less a source of contention now.

[SLIDE 4]

Smaller states were incensed by the Virginia Plan. With proportional representation, they would have little voice. The government would be dominated by the large states. They came up with a counter plan that would protect their own interests. This plan also included three branches of government, but representation would be equal among the states.

[SLIDE 5]

The Constitutional Convention began in May. As the summer dragged on, tempers and debates became heated. A compromise plan was presented, and then the details were hammered out, resulting finally in an agreement on representation in the legislature. This agreement is known as the Connecticut Compromise, but is also referred to as the Great Compromise and the Sherman Compromise. It involved a bicameral legislature, one house of which would have members selected through proportional representation, and the other house selected through equal representation.

[SLIDE 6]

Further issues remained to be worked out. How were representatives to be selected? Another compromise was necessary. Allowing state legislatures to appoint members of the upper house—the Senate—was a nod to state sovereignty, while allowing voters to directly elect representatives continued the nation's founding principle of popular representation. The strongest nationalists regretted that states would have any voice at all in the national government. They had wanted the national government to be entirely independent of state authority.

[SLIDE 7]

If representation was to be proportional, state populations would have to be established. Proportional representation would give states with larger populations a bigger voice. So who was to be included in the population count? Earlier, when population was going to determine how much states would have to pay to support the national government, Southern states hadn't wanted to include slaves in the count, which would have meant they would pay more. Now, though, Southern states wanted their slaves to be included in their population so the slave owners would have a bigger voice. This would have been like including other nonvoting populations, like women and children, in the count. The Northern states did not want the slaves to be included. Again, a compromise was reached, allowing 3/5 of the slave population to be counted within the state population. This compromise gave the slave states a disproportionately large voice in future legislative decisions affecting slavery.

[SLIDE 8]

With those major issues out of the way, the system of checks and balances could be worked out. This is also known as the separation of powers. Power and responsibility would have to be divided among the branches of government to keep any one branch from centralizing power in its own grasp and becoming tyrannical. Although the president was commander in chief, it would be Congress that had to authority to declare war and raise an army. The president could veto legislation, but Congress would have the ability to override a presidential veto. The president could name federal judges, but Congress would have to approve his appointments. Very importantly, Congress would control the purse strings on all federal activities. 

[SLIDE 9]

Many delegates were opposed to direct popular elections for selecting a president. Some simply didn't think the average person capable of making this important choice. Furthermore, in a time of poor, slow communication and travel, how could the people of one state know a candidate from another state well enough to make a reasoned decision? Local people would favor local politicians. Very few candidates would have national name recognition. One option for overcoming voter ignorance would have been to allow state legislatures to select the president, but that was seen as putting too much power in the states' hands. The compromise solution that emerged was the Electoral College, which had electors chosen by the states vote for the candidates. If the Electoral College was unable to elect a president because of a tie vote or the failure of any candidate to achieve a majority of votes, then the president would be selected by the House of Representatives. 
Having reached agreement on how to form a new American government, Washington adjourned the meetings, and most of the delegates signed the document describing this government before leaving for home.