Compromises Made During The Us Constitution's Writing

The US Constitution, ratified by all 13 states in 1789, is often referred to as a 'bundle of compromises' due to the various concessions made by delegates to create a government charter that was acceptable to all. One of the most notable compromises was the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, which addressed the issue of congressional representation. This compromise struck a balance between state sovereignty and popular sovereignty, granting equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives based on state population. Another contentious issue was slavery, with delegates from Southern states fighting for enslaved individuals to be counted in terms of representation, while those from Northern states opposed this. The Three-Fifths Compromise was reached, wherein enslaved individuals were counted as three-fifths of a person for representation purposes.

The Connecticut Compromise balanced state sovereignty with popular sovereignty

The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or the Sherman Compromise, was a proposal made during the 1787 Constitutional Convention to resolve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government. The compromise retained the bicameral legislature, with the upper house or Senate having equal representation from each state, and the lower house or House of Representatives having proportional representation based on a state's population.

The issue of "representation" was at the core of the Philadelphia Convention. The delegates sought to determine the best way for authority to be delegated from the people and the states to a strengthened central government. The Connecticut Compromise, proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, suggested that representatives in each house of the bicameral legislature be selected through different means. This mixed solution balanced state sovereignty and popular sovereignty tied to actual population.

The upper house or Senate reflected the importance of state sovereignty by including two people from each state, regardless of its size or population. This gave the states a significant role in checking and balancing power in the national government. At the same time, the lower house or House of Representatives had a varying number of representatives from each state, determined by population. This ensured that the voices and interests of less populous states would not be drowned out by larger states.

The Connecticut Compromise drew from both the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan to create a unique plan for congressional representation. The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, advocated for a bicameral legislature with representation based on each state's population or wealth. The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, proposed by William Paterson, suggested a single-house legislature with equal representation for every state, regardless of population. By combining elements of both plans, the Connecticut Compromise created a distinct form of federal government that mixed federal and confederal elements.

The Connecticut Compromise was a pragmatic solution that addressed the concerns of both small and large states. It reflected a victory for small states, ensuring their voices would be heard in the national government. At the same time, it allowed larger states to have a greater say in proportion to their population and financial contributions. This delicate balance between state sovereignty and popular sovereignty laid the foundation for the United States' federal system of government, referred to by some as "a bundle of compromises."

The Three-Fifths Compromise counted every five enslaved people as three individuals

The Three-Fifths Compromise was one of the many compromises made during the drafting of the US Constitution. The delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives. This was known as the "Great Compromise" or the "Connecticut Compromise". The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement between delegates from the Northern and Southern states. The Southern states, where the economy relied heavily on the enslavement of African people, wanted enslaved individuals to be counted in terms of representation. On the other hand, the Northern states, where the economy was industrialised and did not rely heavily on slavery, felt that enslaved people should not be counted towards representation as it would provide the South with a greater number of representatives.

The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise that counted every five enslaved people as three individuals. This meant that the slaveholding states would be perpetually overrepresented in national politics. However, this same ratio was used to determine the federal tax contribution required of each state, thus increasing the direct federal tax burden of slaveholding states. The delegates from the Southern states threatened to abandon the convention if enslaved individuals were not counted at all. While some delegates from the Northern states sought to abolish slavery, others felt that enslaved people should not be counted towards representation as it would give the Southern states more representatives.

The issue of slavery was a deeply controversial and divisive issue during the drafting of the US Constitution. Some delegates considered slavery an evil institution and wanted to make the trans-Atlantic slave trade illegal. However, delegates from South Carolina and Georgia, where slavery was expanding rapidly in the late 18th century, angrily opposed any limitations on slavery. They argued that a strengthened union of the states was more important than the Revolutionary ideal of equality. As a result, the issue of slavery was treated as a political question rather than a moral one. The Three-Fifths Compromise was a pragmatic but tragic solution to a deeply contentious issue.

The Electoral College was created to elect the president

The writing of the US Constitution was a complex and challenging process, with delegates from 13 states holding varying interests and views. The delegates assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787, tasked with revising the existing government structure outlined in the Articles of Confederation. However, they soon decided to create a new government, leading to the crafting of the Constitution through a series of compromises. One of the critical compromises reached during the Constitutional Convention was the creation of the Electoral College to elect the president.

The Electoral College came about as a compromise between two opposing sides with different ideas about how the president should be elected. One side favoured a system where the president would be elected by the people directly, while the other side preferred an indirect election process involving the states' legislatures. The delegates had to find a middle ground that would satisfy both sides.

The Electoral College system that was devised struck a balance between these two positions. In this system, each state is allocated a number of electors roughly proportional to its population. Citizens cast their votes for a particular candidate, and these votes are then tallied to determine which electors will represent their state. The electors, in turn, cast their votes for the president. This process combines elements of direct and indirect election, ensuring that both the popular vote and state representation play a role in selecting the president.

The creation of the Electoral College addressed the concerns of the delegates who wanted to ensure both the accountability to the people and the importance of state sovereignty. By linking the number of electors to the population of each state, the Electoral College provided a way to balance the interests of small and large states. This compromise was essential in securing the support of all 13 states for the new Constitution.

The US Constitution, with its Electoral College system, was ratified by all 13 states in 1789, marking a significant step in the formation of the United States of America. The Constitution has endured as one of the longest-lived and most emulated constitutions globally, a testament to the delegates' ability to find common ground through compromises like the Electoral College.

The slave trade was banned 20 years after the ratification of the Constitution

The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1789, is often referred to as a "bundle of compromises", as delegates from 13 states had to reach agreements on several contentious issues, including slavery. While some delegates considered slavery immoral and wanted to ban it, others, particularly those from Southern states, fiercely opposed any limitations on slavery, arguing that it was vital to their economy.

This disagreement led to a compromise known as the Three-Fifths Compromise, which allowed the Southern states to count slaves as three-fifths of a person when determining representation in the House of Representatives, giving them more political power. Additionally, the Fugitive Slave Clause required governments of free states to recapture runaway slaves, and an act of Congress in 1800 made it illegal for Americans to engage in the international slave trade.

However, the Constitution also included a provision that protected the slave trade for 20 years from federal prohibition. Article 1, Section 9, known as the Slave Trade Clause, stated that Congress could not prohibit the importation of slaves until 1808. This clause was included to strike a balance between the interests of the Southern states, which relied on slavery, and those who wanted to see the practice abolished.

In 1807, Congress passed the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves, which took effect on January 1, 1808, the earliest date permitted by the Constitution. This act made it illegal to import slaves into the United States, reflecting a growing trend toward abolishing the international slave trade. While this marked a significant step towards ending slavery, it did not end the practice entirely, as the domestic trade in slaves within the United States continued.

It would take several more decades and the Civil War before the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified in 1865, finally abolishing slavery across the nation. This amendment, part of the Reconstruction Amendments, declared that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crimes, would be allowed within the United States or any territory under its control.

The Great Compromise combined the Virginia and Jersey Plans for state representation

The writing of the US Constitution and the formation of a new government was a highly contentious process, with many issues dividing the delegates. One of the most significant compromises was the "Great Compromise", also known as the "Connecticut Compromise", which combined the Virginia and New Jersey Plans for state representation.

The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed a bicameral national legislature, consisting of two houses, with representation in both houses proportional to the size of the state. This plan favoured the larger states, as they contributed more financially and defensively, and thus argued for greater representation in the central government.

The New Jersey Plan, primarily written by William Paterson, proposed a unicameral (single-house) legislature, with each state having a single vote. This plan was designed to preserve the equal vote that smaller states enjoyed under the Articles of Confederation. Smaller states feared losing influence and power in a population-based representation system, so they insisted on equal representation in at least one legislative house.

The delegates from the smaller states objected to the Virginia Plan, threatening to leave the Constitutional Convention if their demands were not met. This prompted the delegates to form a Grand Committee to reach a resolution. The compromise that was struck balanced state sovereignty and popular sovereignty tied to actual population. It proposed a bicameral legislature, with proportional representation in the lower house (the House of Representatives) and equal representation in the upper house (the Senate). This solution gave both large and small states something they wanted, resolving one of the most controversial aspects of the drafting of the Constitution.

Frequently asked questions