A Step Back in Time
Imagine traveling back to the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, where significant history was unfolding. The Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall, served as the stage for a pivotal gathering that would shape the nation. This Constitutional Convention was initially convened to amend the Articles of Confederation but evolved into the ambitious task of creating a new Constitution.
By May, 55 important folks gathered for what became known as the Constitutional Convention.
The debates that ensued were no walk in the park; they were intense and went on for four sweltering months. The hot discussion topics were representation in Congress, slavery, and the powers of the new executive branch. These debates were as real as it gets!
Back in 1781, amidst the Revolutionary War, the 13 states decided to establish a new central government under the Articles of Confederation which created a loose confederation of states, each holding onto its “sovereignty, freedom, and independence.” The central government, Congress, consisted of a single house where each state had just one vote. There were no executive or judicial branches, and Congress couldn’t even tax or regulate trade.
Fast forward to 1787, a myriad of issues had surfaced, including mounting war debts and financial chaos. States were embroiled in disputes over tariffs and border conflicts, while Britain, angered by unpaid pre-war debts, disregarded the Paris Treaty of 1783 that had marked the war’s end. Acknowledging these challenges, Congress declared on February 21, 1787, that there were grave “defects in the present Confederation” and resolved to convene a convention in Philadelphia “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation… and to render the Federal Constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union.” https://www.crf-us .org.
On May 25, the convention kicked off at the Philadelphia statehouse, with none other than George Washington as the presiding officer. They decided to keep their discussions secret, and James Madison diligently took notes, without which we’d know very little about how the Constitution was born.
Before the convention formally started, Madison and the Virginia delegation had a plan, the Virginia Plan, which was more than just tweaking the Articles. It proposed a whole new government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch would have two houses, with one elected by the people and the other chosen from a list provided by state legislatures.
Now, getting to how to elect the members of these houses was a real brain-teaser. Should regular folks vote for the lower house, or should a select few decide? This question kept the convention occupied for half the summer. Some delegates, like Roger Sherman of Connecticut, didn’t trust the common folk, while others, like George Mason of Virginia, believed in the wisdom of the masses.
But the big hurdle was how states should be represented in Congress. Should all states have the same number of votes like they did under the Articles, or should representation be based on population, as the Virginia Plan suggested? This issue stalled proceedings for weeks. Smaller states worried that population-based representation would trample their rights, while bigger states like Pennsylvania argued it was only fair. On June 30, Connecticut proposed a compromise: one house based on population and the other with equal state votes. It didn’t stop the fierce debates, but they eventually agreed to the Connecticut Compromise on July 16.
So, in the lower house, representation would be based on a state’s white and three-fifths of its slave population, with one representative for every 40,000 inhabitants. The Senate would have two members from each state, and things started moving a bit smoother from there.
Next up, they tackled the executive branch. The Virginia Plan called for a national executive but didn’t specify the term or how they’d be chosen. They agreed on the need for a separate executive branch, but debates raged over how to elect the president. Over 60 votes later, they decided to have electors chosen by each state, who would then vote for two candidates. The one with the most votes became president, and if there was no majority, Congress would choose from the top five.
Now, they also needed to figure out how long the president should serve and whether there should be term limits. Everyone was worried about a monarchy or a despot taking over. They settled on a four-year term with no limits on reelection.
Slavery was another major point of contention. The Southern states heavily depended on slave labor for their economies. They insisted that Congress shouldn’t mess with their trade or tax their exports. They also wanted to keep importing slaves. Opponents raised economic and moral objections, but compromise was necessary. They agreed that Congress couldn’t tax exports, no law could ban the slave trade until 1808, and they added a fugitive slave clause requiring escaped slaves to be returned.
Now, here’s the twist: they didn’t include a bill of rights in the Constitution. Some folks thought it was a huge mistake, but the delegates couldn’t agree. So, we had to add the Bill of Rights later to protect our individual rights.
Finally, on September 17, they all gathered to sign the Constitution. Except for a few, like Eldridge Gerry of Massachusetts, who worried about “civil war” in his state and wanted a more compromising approach. At 4 o’clock, they finished and celebrated together.
When the Constitution was presented to Congress and the nation, it stirred controversy, but nine states ratified it by July 1788, making it official. We held elections, and on March 4, 1789, George Washington became our first president under the new U.S. Constitution.
While the road was bumpy, it succeeded beyond expectations. As Benjamin Rush noted, “’Tis done. We have become a nation.”
Teach Democracy. https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-25-2-the-major-debates-at-the-constitutional-convention.html; writing assisted with ChatGPT.
Sourced: https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-25-2-the-major-debates-at-the-constitutional-convention.html. Computer generated image and writing assistance.
Generated with AI assistance.