constitutional convention

1. Opening the Constitutional Convention
This Convention was a
meeting designed to solve
issues…(Revise Articles of
Confederation!) And to…Oooo! Write the
Constitution!

2. On May 25th, 1787, the
Constitutional Convention met for
the first time in PA! (Same room
where they met for D. of I.)
❖ George Washington was elected the president
of the convention…He was very well respected.

3. Who were the delegates?
❖ 55 delegates from 12 of the 13 states were present.
Rhode Island refused to send a delegate. It was afraid
of losing its states' rights. The delegates worked for 4
months behind closed doors of the State House to draft
a new document known later as the "Constitution."
(Delegates are like representatives)

4. IMPORTANT PEOPLE!
• 4. Key Delegates
◦ James Madison (Virginia)
▪ Known as the “Father of the Constitution”
◦ George Washington (Virginia)
▪ His presence gave the convention legitimacy.
◦ Alexander Hamilton (New York)
◦ George Mason (Virginia)
◦ John Dickinson (Delaware)
◦ Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania)
5. Notable Absences
◦ Patrick Henry
▪ Refused to attend, saying
he “smelt a rat”
◦ Thomas Jefferson
▪ Was serving as a Foreign
Diplomat in Paris
◦ John Adams
▪ Was serving as a Foreign
Diplomat in London

5. More about the Delegates…
Delegates were selected by their states.
They were educated, patriotic, and
experienced men, ranging from the ages of
40 to 81. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest
delegate (81 years old!). Some men were
landowners and some were lawyers or
judges. All delegates held at least one public
office. This group is sometimes called the
"Founding Fathers." There were no women or
minorities.

6. What would it have been like in this
room?

7. James Madison…”THE MAN”
A.K.A. The Father of the Constitution
❖ Known as most prepared delegate
❖ From Virginia
❖ He spoke at convention several times
❖ He took 600 pages worth of notes!
(This is how we know what happened
each day at the convention…)

8. What does James Madison reveal about
government here?
❖ “ If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal
controls on government would be necessary. In framing a
government which is to be administered by men over men,
the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the
government to control the governed; and in the next place
oblige it (the government) to control itself.”
——James Madison

9. Check your work….Possible
answer.
Because men are not perfect, they need to be
governed. But, they also need to have a voice in HOW
they are governed. Government must be organized, but
it needs to be controlled by many people who can hold
each other accountable.

10. ❖ http://goo.gl/75gUX4
TASK: As you watch, list three interesting facts
you learned about this remarkable man!
Please visit the following website to watch
the video about James Madison.

11. The Rule of Secrecy
❖ NO ONE knew what happened outside
the convention
❖ “What happened during the meetings,
stayed within the meetings…”
Delegates seemed to agree on the fact that
it is the government’s responsibility to
protect “life, liberty, and pursuit of
happiness..”

12. The best way to
protect these rights
was:*To create some kind of republic (or country
governed by elected representatives! )
*Although the delegates wanted a government
“For the people, by the people,” they did not agree on
how states should be represented in the new government.

13. ❖ SS.8.A.3.10: Examine
the course and
consequences of the
Constitutional
Convention
Did you do this? Check yourself…