The Constitutional Convention: Forging Compromises and Shaping America

🏛️Delegates at the Constitutional Convention gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 to create a new framework of government for the United States.

🤝Disagreements over the structure of the legislature were settled by the Great Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.

👥The Three-Fifths Compromise was reached to settle the issue of enslaved people's representation in the House of Representatives, considering them as three-fifths of a person for both representation and taxation purposes.

🎩Debates over the office of the president led to the decision of having a single president with constraints to prevent abuse of power, including a four-year term limit.

📜The compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention shaped the foundation of the United States and the structure of its government that is still in place today.

What was the purpose of the Constitutional Convention?

—The purpose of the Constitutional Convention was to create a new framework of government for the United States, as the existing Articles of Confederation were proving to be weak and ineffective.

How were disagreements over the structure of the legislature settled?

—Disagreements over the structure of the legislature were settled by the Great Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.

What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?

—The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise reached to settle the issue of enslaved people's representation. It stated that enslaved individuals would be considered three-fifths of a person for both representation in the House of Representatives and taxation purposes.

How was the office of the president decided?

—The delegates decided to have a single president with constraints to prevent abuse of power. The president would have a four-year term limit and would be elected by an electoral college instead of a direct popular vote.

What is the significance of the compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention?

—The compromises reached at the Constitutional Convention shaped the foundation of the United States and the structure of its government that is still in place today. They laid the groundwork for a balance of power and representation.

00:00Delegates gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 to create a new framework of government for the United States.

00:14Disagreements arose over the structure of the legislature, with the Virginia Plan proposing a bicameral legislature based on population and the New Jersey Plan favoring equal representation.

01:23The Great Compromise resolved the issue of representation by establishing a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.

02:00The Three-Fifths Compromise was reached to settle the representation of enslaved people, considering them as three-fifths of a person for both representation and taxation purposes.

02:31Debates over the office of the president led to the decision of having a single president with a four-year term limit and election through an electoral college.