The Great Compromise: Who Made It Happen?

The United States Constitution is a document that was created by 55 delegates who came together to make small changes to their current government, but ultimately ended up creating a new one. The Constitution was formed through a series of compromises, with the most notable one being the Great Compromise or the Connecticut Compromise, which was proposed by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth. This compromise addressed the issue of representation, which was the core issue for the Philadelphia Convention, and provided a dual system of congressional representation.

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The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787, defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have

The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787, was proposed by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth. It was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution.

The Compromise retained the proposed bicameral legislature, with proportional representation of the states in the lower house (the House of Representatives) and equal representation of the states in the upper house (the Senate). Each state would have two members in the Senate, regardless of its size. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives would have different numbers of representatives from each state, determined by population.

The Connecticut Compromise was proposed to resolve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government. Less populous states like Delaware feared that their voices and interests would be drowned out by the larger states. On the other hand, delegates from larger states argued that their greater contribution of financial and defensive resources to the nation meant they should have more say in the central government.

The Connecticut Compromise was a unique plan for congressional representation that resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the Constitution. It was a compromise that narrowly got approved, with 38 of the remaining 41 delegates ultimately showing their support by signing the proposed Constitution.

The Three-Fifths Compromise counted enslaved persons as three-fifths of a free person for the sake of calculating the number of people a state could elect to the House of Representatives

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 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 Southern slaveholding states wanted their entire population to be considered when determining the number of Representatives they could elect and send to Congress. They threatened to abandon the convention if enslaved individuals were not counted. On the other hand, the Northern free states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations in slave states, since those slaves had no voting rights.

The Three-Fifths Compromise was the eventual resolution, counting three-fifths of each state's slave population toward that state's total population for the purpose of apportioning the House of Representatives. This gave the Southern states more representation in the House relative to the Northern states. This agreement was enshrined in the Constitution, which also included a provision for a law permitting the recapture of fugitive slaves.

The Three-Fifths Compromise has been a subject of debate among historians, legal scholars, and political scientists. Some argue that it supported the notion that slaves were considered only three-fifths of a person, while others claim it was purely a statistical designation to determine representation in Congress.

The delegates agreed that any white man who paid taxes could vote, even if they didn't own property

The creation of the U.S. Constitution was a long and challenging process, with 55 delegates coming together to make small changes to their current government, but ultimately creating a new one. The delegates had different ideas about who should be allowed to vote, with varying state constitutions that had different rules about how much property was required for white men to vote.

A compromise was reached, known as the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise", which defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have. This proposal was put forward by delegates from Connecticut, a small state, and narrowly got approved. It suggested that the upper house, or Senate, would reflect state sovereignty, with two people from each state regardless of its size. Meanwhile, the lower house, or House of Representatives, would have different numbers of representatives from each state, determined by population.

The Constitution created a stronger central government, with a national legislature that could pass supreme laws, raise taxes, and control commerce. This compromise was crucial in creating a major new framework for the country, and it was a testament to the hard work and collaboration of the delegates involved.

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The delegates agreed that the President would be chosen by the Electoral College, not by direct popular vote

The delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 had a difficult task in deciding how the President of the United States would be chosen. The Convention was a fiery and intense affair, with 55 delegates bringing their own specific ideas about the role of government in the new nation. The delegates had to find a way to balance the interests of large and small states, and to ensure that the new government would be stronger than the one under the Articles of Confederation.

One of the key issues was the question of representation. The "Great Compromise" or "Connecticut Compromise", proposed by Roger Sherman and supported by Oliver Ellsworth, provided a dual system of congressional representation. In the House of Representatives, each state would have a number of seats proportional to its population, while in the Senate, all states would have the same number of seats. This compromise addressed the concerns of small-state delegates, who feared that their interests would be ignored under proportional representation.

Another issue concerned elections and voting rights. The delegates needed to decide who would be allowed to vote and how the votes would be cast. At the time, different state constitutions had varying rules about how much property was required for a white man to vote. The delegates wanted to expand the franchise, and so agreed that for the popular lower house, any white man who paid taxes could vote. To balance this, the two Senators in the upper house of the national government would be elected by the state legislatures.

The delegates also had to consider the role of slavery in the new nation. Many of the delegates held enslaved people, and slavery was critical to the economies of their home states. The "Three-fifths Clause" was a compromise that counted enslaved persons as three-fifths of a person for purposes of congressional representation and voting power. This clause was a way for slaveholding delegates to boost their power over presidential selection.

In the end, the delegates agreed that the President would be chosen by the Electoral College, not by direct popular vote. This system, outlined in Article II of the Constitution, meant that each state would have a number of electors equal to their congressional delegation. The popular votes on Election Day determine which electors will be appointed to the Electoral College from each state, but do not directly determine the outcome of the election. Some founders, like Alexander Hamilton, saw the Electoral College as a way of guarding against dangerous demagogues and leaving the presidential election to the votes of national elites.

The delegates agreed that the states would elect their own senators

The creation of the US Constitution was a long and arduous process, with 55 delegates coming together to make small changes to their current government, but ultimately creating a new one. The delegates had differing views on the role of government in the new nation, and each brought their own ideas to the table.

One of the most significant compromises made during the Constitutional Convention was the agreement that the states would elect their own senators. This was part of the so-called Great Compromise or Connecticut Compromise, proposed by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth. The compromise resolved the contentious issue of congressional representation, with the House of Representatives assigned a number of seats in proportion to each state's population, while the Senate would have the same number of seats for all states. This ensured that each state had equal representation in the Senate, regardless of its size.

The delegates from small states had objected to the Virginia Plan, which proposed proportional representation in both houses of the legislature. They argued that their states contributed less financially and defensively, and thus should not have the same level of representation as larger states. The large states, on the other hand, advocated for legislative voting based solely on proportional representation. The compromise struck a balance between these opposing views, ensuring that both large and small states had a say in the central government.

The delegates also grappled with the question of who would be allowed to vote. The different state constitutions had varying rules regarding property requirements for voting. The compromise allowed for any white man who paid taxes to vote for representatives in the popular lower house, regardless of property ownership. To balance this, it was agreed that the two Senators in the upper house would be elected by the state legislatures. This compromise expanded the franchise in some states, giving more men the right to vote.

The creation of the Constitution was a complex and challenging process, with many compromises made to accommodate the diverse interests and views of the delegates. The agreement that states would elect their own senators was a pivotal moment in this process, addressing the critical issue of representation and ensuring that all states had a voice in the new government.

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