Simone Lawson
The US Constitution, ratified by all 13 states in 1789, is sometimes referred to as a bundle of compromises due to the numerous concessions made by delegates to create a government charter acceptable to all states. The delegates assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, intending to revise the Articles of Confederation, but soon decided to create a new government. The delegates, with their diverse interests and views, had to compromise on several key issues, including congressional representation, the regulation of commerce, slavery, and the method of electing the executive.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Compromise over the issue of slavery | The delegates agreed that the slave trade could continue until 1808 |
| Compromise over representation in the Senate | Equal state representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives |
| Compromise over congressional representation | Each state was given one representative for every 30,000 people in the House of Representatives and two representatives in the Senate |
| Compromise over taxation | Direct taxation was to be according to representation |
| Compromise over the method of electing the executive | The Electoral College was created, with electors roughly proportional to population |
| Compromise over import tariffs | Tariffs were only allowed on imports from foreign countries, not on exports from the U.S. |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Compromise
The large states, advocating for proportional representation, favoured the Virginia Plan, which proposed that each state's representation in Congress be based on its population. Conversely, the smaller states championed the New Jersey Plan, arguing for equal representation regardless of population size.
The delegates from Connecticut, Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, proposed a compromise that envisioned a bicameral legislature. This plan, known as the Great Compromise, suggested a dual system of representation. In the upper house, or the Senate, each state would have equal representation, with each state legislature electing two senators. The lower house, the House of Representatives, would be based on proportional representation, with the number of representatives determined by the state's population.
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The Three-Fifths Compromise
The Southern states, which had a significant slave population, wanted their entire population to be considered when determining the number of representatives they could elect and send to Congress. On the other hand, the Free States in the North wanted to exclude slaves from the population count since they did not have voting rights.
The compromise struck was to count three-fifths of each state's slave population toward that state's total population for the purpose of apportioning the House of Representatives. This effectively gave the Southern states more power in the House relative to the North. The Three-Fifths Compromise was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the US Constitution, often referred to as the "Three-fifths Clause." It stated:
> Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.
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Commerce and trade
The Commerce Compromise was a significant part of the drafting of the US Constitution, addressing the question of how the new federal government should regulate business and commerce. At the time, the North was industrialized and produced many finished goods, while the South had an agricultural economy, importing many finished goods from Britain.
The Northern states wanted the federal government to be able 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 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 their trade.
The Commerce Compromise granted Congress the authority to regulate commerce and business, including the power to control domestic and international trade. It was decided that Congress could impose tariffs on imports from foreign countries but not on exports from the US. This compromise also dictated that all commerce legislation must be passed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate, addressing the concerns of smaller states about being overwhelmed by larger states.
The issue of regulating the slave trade was also a key part of the Commerce Compromise. While some Northern states wanted to end it immediately, Southern states wanted to continue it indefinitely, as they felt it was vital to their economy. The compromise allowed the slave trade to continue for at least 20 years after the ratification of the Constitution, with Congress gaining the power to abolish it in 1808.
The Commerce Compromise was a delicate balance, addressing the fears of states regarding federal power while establishing a central government with the ability to regulate commerce and trade. It reflected the complex economic and social dynamics of the time and the need to protect the interests of different regions and states.
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The Electoral College
The drafting of the US Constitution, produced after the Constitutional Convention in 1787, is often referred to as a "bundle of compromises". This is because delegates had to find common ground on several key issues to create a government charter that was acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of the most significant compromises was the creation of the Electoral College, which was established to resolve the issue of how to elect the president.
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State sovereignty
The drafting of the US Constitution in 1787 was a highly complex process, with the founding fathers navigating a series of compromises to balance state sovereignty with federal power. The Constitution was a significant shift from the Articles of Confederation, which had been in effect from 1781 to 1787. Under the Articles, the individual states enjoyed considerable autonomy, with each state having one vote in Congress. However, the lack of a strong central government and the inability to regulate commerce and taxation effectively led to concerns about the country's stability.
The founding fathers debated the issue of state sovereignty extensively during the Constitutional Convention. One of the key compromises was the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise," which addressed congressional representation. The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, advocated for a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Plan, supported by delegates from smaller states, called for equal representation for each state. The "Great Compromise" resolved this dispute by establishing the House of Representatives, with proportional representation based on state population, and the Senate, where each state had equal representation.
Another critical aspect of state sovereignty was the division of powers between the federal government and the states. The founding fathers wanted to ensure that the federal government had sufficient authority to address national concerns while preserving the rights and autonomy of the states. They achieved this through a system of checks and balances, dividing federal authority among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. Additionally, specific responsibilities were delegated to the federal government, while all other functions remained with the states.
The issue of slavery also played a significant role in the debates over state sovereignty. The "Three-Fifths Compromise" counted enslaved Africans as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of congressional representation, which increased the number of seats for states with a high enslaved population, particularly in the South. Additionally, the delegates agreed to postpone the abolition of the slave trade until 1808 to maintain unity between the Northern and Southern states.
In conclusion, the drafting of the US Constitution entailed significant compromises regarding state sovereignty. The founding fathers navigated the delicate balance between establishing a stronger central government and preserving the rights and representation of individual states. These compromises laid the foundation for the US governmental system, addressing issues of congressional representation, federal powers, and slavery.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a plan for congressional representation that combined the Virginia Plan and the Jersey Plan. It proposed a bicameral national legislature, with the upper house (the Senate) reflecting state sovereignty and the lower house (the House of Representatives) based on proportional representation.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement that "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States [...] according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons [...] three-fifths of all other Persons." In other words, enslaved Africans were counted as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of congressional representation and taxation.
The Electoral College was created as a compromise between electing the president through direct popular vote or by state legislatures, governors, or the national legislature. The Electoral College is made up of electors who are chosen by citizens and who then vote for the president.
The issue of slavery was a contentious one, with Northern states wanting to end the importation and sale of enslaved people and Southern states relying on slavery for their economy. A compromise was reached, with the Northern states agreeing to wait until 1808 before Congress could ban the slave trade. Additionally, the Fugitive Slave Law required Northern states to deport any freedom seekers.
The Northern states wanted the federal government to impose import tariffs on finished products to protect against foreign competition, while the Southern states feared that export tariffs on their raw goods would hurt their trade. The compromise mandated that tariffs could only be imposed on imports, not exports, and that the federal government would regulate interstate commerce.
