Jonah Patel
The US Constitution, ratified in 1789, is known as a bundle of compromises due to the numerous concessions made by delegates to create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of the most notable compromises was the Great Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate. Another was the Three-Fifths Compromise, which addressed the issue of how slaves would be counted for congressional representation, with the Southern delegates accepting the compromise as protection against future Northern attempts to limit slavery. Additionally, the Electoral College Compromise resolved the issue of how the president would be elected, with the Electoral College being used instead of the general public. These compromises were necessary to bridge the gaps between the diverse interests and viewpoints presented at the Constitutional Convention.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of US Constitution | Ratified by all 13 states in 1789 |
| Name of Compromise | The Great Compromise, also called the Connecticut Compromise |
| Nature of Compromise | Combination of the Virginia Plan and the Jersey Plan |
| Issue Addressed | State representation in Congress |
| Outcome | Bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate |
| Other Compromises | Three-Fifths Compromise, Electoral College Compromise, Commerce Compromise |
| Issue of Slavery | Compromise reached to delay abolition of slave trade until 1808 |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Compromise
The United States Constitution, ratified by all 13 states in 1789, is sometimes referred to as a "bundle of compromises". This is because delegates had to make several concessions on key points to create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of the five key compromises was The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise.
The structure of Congress, as achieved under the Great Compromise, was explained by Chief Justice Warren Burger. He stated that the Great Compromise, under which one House was viewed as representing the people and the other the states, allayed the fears of both the large and small states.
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The Three-Fifths Compromise
The three-fifths ratio was proposed by James Madison and was first introduced as an amendment to the Articles of Confederation on April 18, 1783. Madison explained the reasoning for the three-fifths ratio in Federalist No. 54, "The Apportionment of Members Among the States". He argued that slaves were considered as persons and not merely as property, and therefore, they should be included in the population count for representation purposes. However, the amendment ultimately failed to gain unanimous approval, falling two states short.
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The Electoral College Compromise
The founding fathers established the Electoral College as a compromise between the election of the president by a vote in Congress and the election of the president by a popular vote of qualified citizens. The delegates debated for months, with some arguing that Congress should pick the president and others insisting on a democratic popular vote. The Electoral College was created as a temporary group of electors equal to the total number of representatives in Congress. The number of electors in the Electoral College is 538, and a majority of 270 electoral votes are required to elect the president.
The Electoral College was also intended to address the issue of representation in Congress. The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph on May 29, 1787, proposed the creation of a bicameral national legislature, or a legislature consisting of two houses, in which the "rights of suffrage" in both houses would be proportional to the size of the state. However, delegates from small states objected to this idea, arguing that larger states had greater contributions to the nation's financial and defensive resources and, therefore, ought to have a greater say in the central government.
The delegates considered other alternatives, such as electing the president through each state's Senate. Ultimately, they agreed to create the Electoral College, which is comprised of electors roughly proportional to the population. Citizens vote for electors bound to a particular candidate, who then votes for the president. This system was a compromise that allowed for proportional representation while also giving smaller states a voice in the election of the president.
The Electoral College has been a source of controversy, with many proposals introduced in Congress to reform or eliminate it. Some critics argue that it is "archaic" and "ambiguous", while others question its fairness, as there have been instances where presidential candidates have won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. However, supporters argue that it is a necessary part of the original design of the U.S. Constitution, and any changes would require a Constitutional amendment.
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The Commerce Compromise
The US Constitution, produced after the Constitutional Convention and ultimately ratified by all 13 states in 1789, is sometimes referred to as a "'bundle of compromises'". This is because delegates had to give ground on numerous key points to create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states.
One of the five key compromises that helped make the US Constitution a reality was the Commerce Compromise. The Articles of Confederation, which the United States operated under from 1781 to 1787, provided that each state would be represented by one vote in Congress. Under these articles, the national government could not tax, enforce the laws it passed, or regulate commerce.
As a result, state legislatures controlled their own commerce, and the federal Congress was unable to enter into credible trade agreements with foreign powers to open markets for American goods. State legislatures also enacted laws to relieve debtors of their debts, undermining the rights of creditors and the credit market. States also erected a variety of trade barriers to protect their businesses from competition in neighbouring states.
The Commerce Clause, therefore, gives Congress broad power to regulate interstate commerce and restrict states from impairing interstate commerce. It empowers Congress to address problems among the several states that the states are separately unable to deal with effectively. This includes regulating commerce with foreign nations, among the several states, and with Indian tribes.
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The Connecticut Compromise
The delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 were heavily divided over the representation in each branch of Congress. The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed a bicameral national legislature, with representation in both houses proportional to each state's population. Delegates from small states objected to this idea, while those from larger states argued that their greater contribution of resources entitled them to a greater say in the central government.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is known as a "bundle of compromises".
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, combined the Virginia Plan and the Jersey Plan. The former provided representation based on each state's population, while the latter proposed equal representation for every state.
The Three-Fifths Compromise addressed how slaves would be counted to determine congressional representation. The Southern delegates were unhappy that Northern representatives would have a 36-29 advantage in the House. However, they accepted the compromise as a key protection against future Northern attempts to limit slavery.
