BRANDON FLUHR

THE CONSTITUTION

THE GREAT COMPROMISE

VIRGINIA PLAN (James Madison)
Representation should be based on population. Bigger states would have more representation.
Argument was that more people should have more power.
NEW JERSEY PLAN (William Patterson)
Each state should have equal representation. Smaller and bigger states would have the same
representation regardless of population. Argument was that each state was equal.
COMPROMISE
A bicameral legislature would be created. The senate would have 2 representatives from each
state and the house of representation would have representation based on population.

THE 3/5 COMPROMISE

NORTHERN VIEW
Slaves should not be counted in the population because they were not citizens and could not vote.
SOUTHERN VIEW
Slaves should be counted so that the southern states would have more representation.
COMPROMISE
A slave would be counted as 3/5 of a person. This was a compromise between complete
representation and none at all.

PREAMBLE
The purposes of the new government were to create a better system that would have the powers
denied to the Articles of Confederation so that a stronger government would be able to better
govern.

ARTICLE I
1. The senate and the house of representatives. They are jointly called the congress. To be a
senator you must be 30 and a citizen for 9 years and a resident of the state they represent.
To be a representative you must be 25 and a citizen for 7 years and a resident of the state
they represent.
2. The speaker of the house is the chief officer of the house and the vice president is the
chief officer of the senate.
3. The chief justice will preside over the proceedings and 2/3 of the members of the senate
will be required to convict the president.
4. Congress must meet once a year because they have to keep dealing with national affairs
and can not just forget about their government duties.
5. A
6. A
7. A
8. A
9. A
10. A
11. A
12. A
13. A
ARTICLE II

1. The president serves a term of four years and must be a natural born citizen who is at least 35 and
a legal resident for 14 years.
2. The president is elected by an electoral college, of which the electors will be chosen by congress.
3. A president can be removed from office if he has committed treason, bribery, and other high
crimes and misdemeanors.
4. The president serves as commander in chief of the army and navy, negotiate treaties and nominate
federal officers and fill vacancies during a senate recess.
5. With the senate, the president has the power to negotiate treaties, appoint ambassadors, and
appoint all other officers of the government.

ARTICLE III

1. The judicial power is distributed