Simone Lawson
The US Constitution is sometimes called a bundle of compromises because delegates had to make several concessions to create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of the most important compromises was the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, which addressed the issue of congressional representation. It established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate, balancing the interests of larger and smaller states. Another significant compromise was the Three-Fifths Compromise, which dealt with how slaves were counted to determine congressional representation. Each slave was counted as three-fifths of a person, a concession to Southern states that wanted to increase their political power based on the number of slaves they held.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | The Great Compromise, Connecticut Compromise, Three-Fifths Compromise, Commerce Compromise, Electoral College Compromise |
| What it addressed | How to determine congressional representation, the issue of slavery, how the federal government would regulate business, how the president would be elected |
| What it established | A bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate, protections for slaveholders in the Constitution, Congress's authority to control domestic and foreign trade, the Electoral College |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Compromise: Balancing state and popular sovereignty
The United States Constitution, often referred to as a "bundle of compromises", was ratified by all 13 states in 1789. One of the most significant compromises during its creation was the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise. This compromise addressed the issue of congressional representation, balancing state and popular sovereignty.
The Great Compromise resolved the dispute between smaller and larger states. Smaller states, like New Jersey, believed that each state should have equal representation, whereas larger states, like Virginia, argued for representation based on population. The former emphasised the importance of state sovereignty, while the latter stressed that their greater contribution of financial and defensive resources to the nation meant they should have more say in the central government.
The Great Compromise combined the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. It established a bicameral legislature, with proportional representation in the House of Representatives based on population and equal representation in the Senate, with two representatives from each state regardless of size. This mixed solution balanced state sovereignty and popular sovereignty tied to actual population, reflecting a victory for small states and addressing the fears of larger states.
The Three-Fifths Compromise, another key aspect of the Great Compromise, addressed how slaves would be counted for congressional representation. Delegates from Northern states, where the economy did not rely heavily on slavery, argued against counting slaves towards representation, as this would give the South more representatives. The compromise stated that every five enslaved people would be counted as three individuals, with significant implications for political power and representation in the lower house of the legislature.
The Great Compromise was a pragmatic solution that balanced the interests of larger and smaller states, setting the groundwork for the federal government's operation and power relations between the states and the federal government. It demonstrated the importance of compromise and negotiation in the democratic process, allowing the Constitution to be forged and ratified despite differing interests and perspectives.
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Three-Fifths Compromise: Counting slaves for representation
The Three-Fifths Compromise, also known as the Constitutional Compromise of 1787, was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention. This compromise was made to settle the dispute between the Northern and Southern states regarding the inclusion of slaves in counting a state's total population.
The Southern states, with their economies heavily reliant on slavery, wanted their entire population, including slaves, to be considered when determining the number of Representatives they could elect and send to Congress. On the other hand, the Northern states, where the economy did not depend on slavery, argued that only voters should be counted. They questioned the Southerners' stance, asking why slaves should be counted when they had no voting rights.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was the resolution to this dispute. It stated that for the purpose of apportioning the House of Representatives, three-fifths of each state's slave population would be counted toward that state's total population. This compromise effectively gave the Southern states more power in the House of Representatives relative to the Northern states. It also resulted in slaveholders having greater power in Southern legislatures.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution. This clause was superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
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Commerce Compromise: Federal government regulates trade
The US Constitution, ratified by all 13 states in 1789, is sometimes referred to as a "bundle of compromises". This is because delegates had to agree on several key points to create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of these compromises was the Commerce Compromise, which gave Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.
The Commerce Compromise
The Commerce Compromise, also known as the Commerce Clause, was included in the US Constitution to address the problems of interstate trade barriers and the ability to enter into trade agreements. It grants Congress the power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states". This was necessary because, at the time, state legislatures controlled their own commerce, and the federal Congress was unable to enter into credible trade agreements with foreign powers. The Commerce Clause restricts states from impairing interstate commerce.
Early Interpretations of the Commerce Clause
Early Supreme Court cases primarily viewed the Commerce Clause as limiting state power rather than as a source of federal power. Of the approximately 1,400 Commerce Clause cases that the Supreme Court heard before 1900, most stemmed from state legislation. In 1824's Gibbons v. Ogden, the Supreme Court held that intrastate activity could be regulated under the Commerce Clause, provided that the activity is part of a larger interstate commercial scheme.
Modern Interpretations of the Commerce Clause
In United States v. Lopez (1995), the Supreme Court attempted to curtail Congress's broad legislative mandate under the Commerce Clause by interpreting the clause more conservatively. The defendant in this case argued that the federal government had no authority to regulate firearms in local schools. The Supreme Court rejected the government's claim that this fell under the Commerce Clause on the grounds that possession of a firearm in a school zone would lead to violent crime, thereby affecting general economic conditions. In Sebelius, the Court addressed the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), holding that requiring the purchase of health insurance was not the regulation of commercial activity and was impermissible under the Commerce Clause.
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Electoral College Compromise: How the president is elected
The Electoral College is a process designed by the Founding Fathers to elect the President of the United States. It was established as a compromise between two conflicting views on how the President should be elected—by a vote in Congress or by a popular vote of qualified citizens. The Electoral College is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, but the 12th Amendment and Article II refer to "electors", who are integral to the Electoral College process.
The Electoral College consists of 538 electors, with each state having the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation. This means each state has one elector for each member in the House of Representatives, plus two Senators. The District of Columbia is treated like a state for Electoral College purposes and is allocated three electors under the 23rd Amendment.
The Electoral College process works as follows: each state's voters choose electors to serve in the Electoral College. These electors are typically committed to a particular candidate. The electors then meet and vote for the President and Vice President. Finally, Congress counts the electoral votes. A majority of 270 electoral votes are required to elect the President.
The Electoral College process has faced criticism and proposals for reform over the years. Some have advocated for direct nationwide election by eligible voters, while others have suggested alternative methods such as selection by members of Congress or state governors. However, no changes have been passed by Congress, and any alteration to the Electoral College system would require a Constitutional amendment due to its foundational place in the US Constitution.
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Connecticut Compromise: Equal representation in the Senate
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or the Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution.
The Connecticut Compromise combined the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed a bicameral legislature with proportional representation of the states in both houses, with the "rights of suffrage" in both houses proportional to the size of the state. The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, proposed equal representation for every state. The Connecticut Compromise retained the bicameral legislature, with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives, and equal representation for each state in the upper house or Senate; each state would have two members in the Senate.
The Connecticut Compromise resolved the dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national and how representation in Congress should be allocated. It gave the states a significant role in checking and balancing power in the national government. The compromise was a unique plan for congressional representation that resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is sometimes called a "bundle of compromises", with the Great Compromise being the most important one. It established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate, balancing the interests of larger and smaller states.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement that addressed how slaves would be counted to determine congressional representation. Each slave was counted as three-fifths of a person.
The Commerce Compromise gave Congress the authority to control domestic and foreign trade, but not the slave trade for at least 20 years.
The Electoral College Compromise resolved the issue of how the president would be elected. Each state has a number of electors equal to its congressional delegation.
The key issues revolved around congressional representation, with larger states arguing for representation based on population and smaller states advocating for equal representation for each state.
