Eleanor Finch
The ratification of the United States Constitution faced significant challenges, which were overcome through key compromises during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise were essential to overcoming these challenges and fostering unity. Without these agreements, it is likely that several states would have refused to ratify the Constitution, leading to a weaker national government or even the failure to form a new government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Compromise | The Great Compromise |
| Name of Compromise | The Three-Fifths Compromise |
| What it did | Established a bicameral legislature |
| What it did | Addressed the issue of how to count slaves in population totals |
| What it did | Balanced representation for large and small states |
| What it did | Enabled the establishment of a functional federal government |
| What it did | Each state has equal representation in the Senate |
| What it did | Created a government structure that addressed the concerns of diverse states |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise was the other key agreement that helped overcome challenges in the ratification of the Constitution. This compromise addressed the contentious issue of how to count slaves in population totals. It stated that three out of every five slaves would be counted as part of the population for the purposes of legislative representation and taxation. While controversial and ethically problematic, this compromise illustrates how political negotiation shaped the early structure of American governance.
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The Three-Fifths Compromise
The compromise was reached during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It was a result of various debates and discussions, balancing conflicting interests and creating a government structure that addressed the concerns of diverse states.
The Evolution of Our Constitution: Ratification and Adoption
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The Virginia Plan
The Three-Fifths Compromise addressed the contentious issue of how to count slaves in population totals. It stated that slaves counted for three-fifths of a person. This was used as the population to determine the number of seats in the House of Representatives.
These agreements were critical in appeasing various factions present at the convention. They helped ensure that the Constitution could be ratified by balancing conflicting interests and creating a government structure that addressed the concerns of diverse states. Without these agreements, it is likely that several states would have refused to ratify the Constitution, leading to a weaker national government or even the failure to form a new government altogether.
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Bicameral legislature
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was essential to overcoming key challenges in the ratification of the US Constitution in 1787. It established a bicameral legislature, or a congress with two houses, to balance representation for large and small states.
The Great Compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and resolved the debate between large and small states regarding representation in Congress. It made the Congress bicameral with two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Representation in the House of Representatives was based on population, with states assigned seats in proportion to their population. In the Senate, all states were equally represented, regardless of size.
The Great Compromise was one of two major compromises in the Constitutional Convention, the other being the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of legislative representation and taxation. These agreements were critical in appeasing various factions present at the convention and fostering unity. Without them, it is likely that several states would have refused to ratify the Constitution, leading to a weaker national government or even the failure to form a new government altogether.
Wyoming's Place in History: Ratifying the Constitution
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Representation in Congress
The Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise were essential to overcoming key challenges in the ratification of the Constitution. The Great Compromise established a bicameral legislature to balance representation for large and small states, while the Three-Fifths Compromise addressed the contentious issue of how to count slaves in population totals.
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, resolved the debate between large and small states regarding representation in Congress. Proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut, it made Congress bicameral with two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Representation in the House of Representatives is based on population, with states assigned seats in proportion to their population. In the Senate, all states are equally represented, regardless of size. This compromise was critical in balancing conflicting interests and creating a government structure that addressed the concerns of diverse states.
The Three-Fifths Compromise, while controversial and ethically problematic, illustrates how political negotiation shaped the early structure of American governance regarding representation and taxation. It stated that slaves counted for three-fifths of a person and were used as population totals to determine the number of seats in the House of Representatives. This compromise was necessary to foster unity and enable the establishment of a functional federal government.
Without these compromises, it is likely that several states would have refused to ratify the Constitution, leading to a weaker national government or even the failure to form a new government altogether.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise.
The Great Compromise established a bicameral legislature to balance representation for large and small states.
The Three-Fifths Compromise counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of legislative representation and taxation.
Without these compromises, it is likely that several states would have refused to ratify the Constitution, leading to a weaker national government or even the failure to form a new government altogether.
