Eleanor Finch
The US Constitution has been described as a bundle of compromises due to the numerous concessions made by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The delegates had to balance the interests of different states and resolve contentious issues such as representation, slavery, and the role of the federal government. For example, the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, resolved the dispute between large and small states by creating a bicameral legislature with representation based on both population (House of Representatives) and equal representation for all states (Senate). Another compromise, known as the Three-Fifths Compromise, addressed how slaves should be counted in a state's population, with every five slaves being counted as three individuals in terms of representation. These and other compromises allowed for the creation of a Constitution that was acceptable to all the states, despite strong disagreements among the delegates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Great Compromise | Combined the Virginia and New Jersey plans, creating a bicameral legislature with two chambers of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives. |
| Three-Fifths Compromise | Every five enslaved people would be counted as three individuals in terms of representation. |
| Commerce Compromise | Allowed tariffs on imports but not on exports, balancing North and South interests. |
| Compromise on Federal Power | The federal government would regulate interstate commerce, and all commerce legislation would be passed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate. |
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What You'll Learn
- The Great Compromise: a bicameral legislature with two chambers of Congress: the Senate and House of Representatives
- The Three-Fifths Compromise: every five slaves counted as three individuals for representation
- Commerce Compromise: tariffs allowed on imports but not exports
- Compromise on the role of the federal government: regulating interstate commerce
- Compromise on representation: based on state population and equal representation for all states
The Great Compromise: a bicameral legislature with two chambers of Congress: the Senate and House of Representatives
The United States Constitution has been called a "bundle of compromises" due to the delegates of the 1787 Constitutional Convention having to make several key compromises to create a document acceptable to all the states. One of the most important of these was the Great Compromise, which resolved disputes between large and small states by creating a bicameral legislature with two chambers of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, combined the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison, proposed a bicameral national legislature with representation in both houses proportional to the size of the state. The delegates from smaller states objected to this plan, arguing that it would give larger states too much power. In response, William Paterson proposed the New Jersey Plan, which provided for equal representation among the states in a one-chamber legislature.
The Great Compromise resolved this dispute by creating a bicameral legislature with proportional representation based on state population in one chamber, the House of Representatives, and equal representation for all states in the other, the Senate. This compromise allowed for the interests of both large and small states to be represented in Congress.
The House of Representatives is considered the "lower house," while the Senate is the "upper house" or "upper chamber." The lawmaking process can begin in either house, and for a bill to become law, it must pass through both houses in identical form. The Senate also tries impeachment cases sent by the House and provides advice and consent on and ratifies treaties. Senators have longer terms than Representatives, serving for six years instead of two.
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The Three-Fifths Compromise: every five slaves counted as three individuals for representation
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention over the inclusion of slaves in a state's total population. This total population count would determine several factors, including the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the number of electoral votes each state would be allocated, and how much money the states would pay in taxes.
The delegates from the North and South disagreed on how slaves should be counted in a state's population. Northern delegates argued that only voters should be accounted for, while Southern delegates countered that slaves counted just as much as voters. Slaveholding states wanted their entire population to be considered when determining the number of Representatives they could send to Congress, while free states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations in slave states, as those slaves had no voting rights.
After a contentious debate, the compromise was struck that every five slaves would be counted as three individuals in terms of representation. This reduced the representation of the slave states relative to the original proposals but improved it over the Northern position. The tie between representation and taxation in the same ratio induced slave states to accept the Compromise, as it reduced their burden of taxation.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution. This clause was later superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
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Commerce Compromise: tariffs allowed on imports but not exports
The US Constitution has been called a "bundle of compromises" due to the numerous concessions made by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 to create a document acceptable to each of the 13 states. One such compromise was the Commerce Compromise, which allowed tariffs on imports but not on exports.
The Commerce Compromise was a result of the conflicting interests of the Northern and Southern states. The North was industrialized and produced many finished goods, while the South had an agricultural economy and imported many finished goods from Britain. The Northern states wanted to impose import tariffs on finished products to protect against foreign competition and encourage the South to buy goods made in the North. They also wanted to implement export tariffs on raw goods to increase revenue for the United States. However, the Southern states feared that export tariffs on their raw goods would hurt the trade they relied on heavily.
The Commerce Compromise allowed tariffs on imports from foreign countries but not on exports from the US, balancing the interests of the North and the South. This compromise also dictated that the federal government would regulate interstate commerce and that all commerce legislation must be passed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate, giving more power to the Southern states, which had less population.
The Commerce Compromise was just one of several compromises made during the Constitutional Convention to balance the interests of the states and create a unified government. Another notable compromise was the Great Compromise, which resolved the dispute between large and small states by creating a bicameral legislature with representation based on both population (House of Representatives) and equal representation for all states (Senate).
These compromises were necessary to create a Constitution that was acceptable to all the states and to form a more perfect union. The Commerce Compromise, in particular, helped to address the economic concerns of the Northern and Southern states and paved the way for a stronger and more unified nation.
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Compromise on the role of the federal government: regulating interstate commerce
The United States Constitution has been called a "bundle of compromises" due to the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 compromising on numerous key points to create a new Constitution that was acceptable to each of the states. One of the key areas of compromise was the role of the federal government in regulating interstate commerce, which was addressed through the Commerce Clause.
The Commerce Clause grants Congress the power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States". This clause was included in the Constitution to address the problems of interstate trade barriers and the ability to enter into trade agreements. Before the inclusion of the Commerce Clause, state legislatures controlled their own commerce, which made it difficult for the federal Congress to enter into credible trade agreements with foreign powers. This led to a nationwide economic downturn, which prompted calls for a new Constitution.
The interpretation and application of the Commerce Clause have been the subject of ongoing debate and court cases. While it grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce, the exact definition of "commerce" is not explicitly defined in the Constitution. This has led to differing interpretations, with some arguing that it refers simply to trade or exchange, while others claim that it describes a broader range of commercial and social intercourse between citizens of different states. Courts have generally taken a broad interpretation of the clause, allowing Congress to exert legislative power over the activities of states and their citizens.
One example of the Commerce Clause being invoked is the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which addressed unfair railroad rates. Small businesses and farmers protested that the railroads charged them higher rates than larger corporations, and that rates for short hauls were higher than for long-distance ones. The Act limited railroads to charging rates that were "reasonable and just," forbade rebates to high-volume users, and made it illegal to charge higher rates for shorter hauls. This Act demonstrated the federal government's ability to intervene in interstate commerce and regulate rates to ensure fairness and prevent discrimination.
In summary, the Commerce Clause was a compromise included in the US Constitution to address concerns about interstate trade and the role of the federal government in regulating it. Its interpretation and application have evolved over time, with Congress and the courts balancing the powers of the federal government and the states in this area. The Commerce Clause continues to be a significant tool for addressing national problems and ensuring fair and efficient interstate commerce.
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Compromise on representation: based on state population and equal representation for all states
The United States Constitution has been called a "bundle of compromises" due to the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 having to compromise on several key points. This was done to create a new Constitution that was acceptable to each of the states. One such compromise was on the issue of representation, which was resolved through the Great Compromise or the Connecticut Compromise.
The Great Compromise combined two plans—the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. It proposed a bicameral legislature with two chambers of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate would provide equal representation for all states, while the House would be based on state population.
Delegates from smaller states objected to the Virginia Plan's proposal of proportional representation in both houses, arguing that it would lead to their states being ignored. They demanded equal representation in at least one chamber of the legislature. On the other hand, delegates from larger states argued that their greater contribution to the nation's resources justified their demand for greater representation in the central government.
The Great Compromise addressed these conflicting interests by establishing equal representation in the Senate, with each state having two Senators, and proportional representation in the House of Representatives, based on state population. This compromise ensured that both large and small states had a voice in the government, with representation based on population in one chamber and equal representation for all states in the other.
The issue of representation was further complicated by the question of how slaves would be counted in a state's population. This was resolved through the Three-Fifths Compromise, where slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person for representation in the House of Representatives. This compromise aimed to balance the interests of both the Northern and Southern states.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution has been called a "bundle of compromises" because it includes several deals made between the writers. The delegates had to balance the interests of different states and settle on various contentious issues, such as representation, the role of the federal government, and slavery.
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, combined the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. It was decided that there would be two chambers of Congress: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate would be based on equal representation for each state, and the House would be based on population.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise between delegates from the north and the south on how slaves should be counted in a state's population in terms of representation. It was decided that every five slaves would be counted as three individuals.
The Commerce Compromise allowed tariffs on imports but not on exports, balancing the interests of the North and the South. It also dictated that the federal government would regulate interstate commerce and that all commerce legislation be passed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
There were several points of contention during the Constitutional Convention, including representation, slavery, and laws concerning foreign/interstate imports and exports. Some delegates also had differing opinions on the role of the federal government, with Anti-Federalists believing that the Constitution gave too much power to the national government.
