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Constitutional Compromises Our Constitution has been called a bundle of compromises.

Why did the states send representatives to Philadelphia in 1787? To write a new constitution. Most people agreed that the ​ ​ .Articles of Confederation were not working, so they ​ ​ ​ had to replace it with a new plan for government.

The states sent representatives, known as the delegates. They met in ​ ​ the very same room that the Declaration of Independence had been signed in. The meeting eventually came to be known as the Constitutional Convention. The person chosen ​ ​ to be president of the convention George Washington. Because the men were writing ​ ​ ​ the framework for a new government, the have come to be called the Framers of the ​ ​ ​ ​ Constitution. They are a big part of the group that we know as the Founding Fathers. ​ ​

The delegates needed to negotiate, compromise, and change their minds as needed, so they decided to meet in secret. Because of that, there is a lot that we don’t know about ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ what happened behind those closed doors. What is our best primary source for knowing what happened during those meetings?the diary of ​

A compromise is when both sides give up something in order to make an ​ ​ ​ ​ agreement and get something that they want. The story of the Constitutional Convention is a story of compromises being made. EACH OF THESE ISSUES WAS A POTENTIAL “DEAL BREAKER.” IF ANY OF THESE COMPROMISES WAS NOT REACHED, IT’S POSSIBLE THAT THE U.S. WOULD NOT HAVE CONTINUED. THE CONVENTION COULD HAVE BROKEN UP AND EACH OF THE STATES COULD HAVE CONTINUED AS A SEPARATE COUNTRY.

The Great Compromise Also called the Compromise

The issue: How are states going to be represented in Congress? ​ ​ ​ Large states wanted representation Small states wanted all states to ​ to be based on population. have equal representation (All ​ ​ ​ ​ (The more people you have, the more votes states would get the same number of votes in you get.) Congress no matter how many people they had.)

The Compromise: There will be two houses in Congress. ​ ​ In the Senate, each state will have two votes. ​ ​ ​ ​

In the other house (the House of Representatives), the ​ ​ number of votes states have will be based on their population. ​ ​

In order for Congress to make a law, it must be passed by both houses.

Next problem- Since people now had to know the population of each state, how would the population be determined? Every 10 years, the federal government will be required to count ​ ​ the number of people in each state. This count is called the Census. The next one will take place in 2020. ​ ​ ​

The Three-Fifths Compromise

The issue: Do slaves count as people? ​ ​ ​ Free states wanted: Slave states wanted: Slaves should NOT count for Slaves SHOULD count for representation (since they can’t representation, but they should not ​ ​ vote), but they should count for count for taxation. taxation.

The Compromise:

Each slave will count for ⅗ of a free person ​ ​ for both representation and taxation.

In other words, 5 slaves = 3 free people. For every 5,000 slaves in the population, only 3,000 will count.

Compromise on the Slave Trade

The issue: Will slaves be allowed to be imported into the slave states? ​ Free states wanted: Slave states wanted: The importation of slaves to end immediately. The importation of slaves to continue forever.They did not want Congress to have the power to end the importation of slaves.

The Compromise: Congress would not be allowed to make any laws stopping the importing of slaves until 1808 (20 years down the road). Congress could put a tax the imported slaves. (Note: When 1808 finally arrived, the Congress did vote to end the importation of slaves.)