Characteristics of the Delegates

Characteristics of the Delegates

to the Constitutional Convention

Purpose of Convention • Delegates were instructed to revise the Articles of Confederation. • They did NOT have permission to scrap the Articles entirely. • Proceedings were kept secret until the final document was drafted. Independence Hall, Philadelphia

Age Average Age: 42 Oldest: 81 Youngest: 26

Jonathon Dayton

Ben Franklin

Education Over Half Graduated from College 33 from Ivy League… 9 from Princeton

George Clymer

James Madison

Educated by Uncle

Princeton

Occupations Delegates came from a wide variety of backgrounds Artisans

Ben Franklin

Planters

Merchants

George Washington

Alexander Hamilton

Lawyers

William Paterson

Government Experience While many delegates had years of experience in state and national politics, others were relative novices. Governors

Judges

Legislators

Novices

John Langdon

John Blair

John Dickinson

James Wilson

New Hampshire

Virginia

Delaware

Pennsylvania

States Represented Massachusetts

Maryland

New Hampshire

Delaware

Connecticut

Virginia

New York

North Carolina

New Jersey

South Carolina

Pennsylvania

Georgia

*Rhode Island Refused to Attend

Competing Plans for the Constitution Virginia Plan •Written by James Madison

New Jersey Plan •Introduced by William Paterson

•Scrap Articles & create new gov. •Wanted to reform Articles rather than replace them •Bicameral Legislature •Unicameral Legislature based with •Representation based on equal representation for each state population •Lower house elected by people & Upper house chosen by lower

Connecticut (Great) Compromise Bicameral Legislature with representation in House of Representatives based on population and two representatives per state in the Senate

Constitutional Compromises 3/5 Compromise Slaves count as 3/5 of a person for taxation and representation

Commerce Compromise Congress cannot tax exports, but it can tax imports. Congress cannot ban the slave trade until 1808

Democracy vs. Stability House of Representatives to be directly elected by people, but President and Senate to be indirectly elected.

Strength of Executive Branch President elected to 4 year terms with limits on his power through checks & balances