CYBERLAND UNIVERSITY OF NORTH AMERICA

Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr.

University President & Professor of Political Science

SECOND PAGE

NOTES ON THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1787
& THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

(Continued)


POLITICAL CONFLICT & CONTROVERSY AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION:

      THE CENTRAL CONTROVERSY:

            How the states were to be represented in the national
            legislature:

                  Equal representation (as was the case in the
                  Confederation Congress)?

                  or

                  Representation according to population?

      THE UNDERLYING CONFLICT OF INTERESTS:

            THE BASIS OF THE DISAGREEMENT:

                  The rather sharp conflict of interests between
                  the LARGE STATES and the SMALL STATES.

            THE LARGE STATES & THEIR INTERESTS:

                  These were states with large populations and
                  great wealth--Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York,
                  and Massachusetts.

                  Of the 13 states, there were only four large
                  states.

                  However, the combined population of the four
                  states was larger than the combined population
                  of the other nine states.

                        And the combined wealth of the four large
                        states was greater than the combined
                        wealth of the nine remaining states.

                  Naturally, the four large states wanted each
                  state's representation in the national legisla-
                  ture to be in proportion to its population or
                  taxable wealth.

                  This would, of course, give the large states
                  control of the national legislature, if the
                  four states could stick together as a cohesive
                  bloc in the national legislature.

                  This position of the large states on the ques-
                  tion of representation was simply a matter of
                  SELF-INTEREST.

            THE SMALL STATES & THEIR INTERESTS:

                  The states with less wealth and small popula-
                  tions favored equal representation of the
                  states in the national legislature.

                  They wanted the states to have equal represen-
                  tation in either--

                        A unicameral national legislature;

                        or

                        At least one house of a bicameral nation-
                        al legislature.

                  In advocating this arrangement, the small
                  states were seeking to prevent the large states
                  from outvoting them and dominating the national
                  government.

                  The position of the small states on the issue
                  of legislative representation, like that of
                  the large states, was simply a matter of SELF-
                  INTEREST.

      THE OPPOSING BLOCS OF DELEGATES:

            The issue of legislative representation came to a
            head when the Federal Convention began its considera-
            tion of the VIRGINIA PLAN.

            THE VIRGINIA PLAN:

                  Was introduced by Edmund Randolph, Governor of
                  Virginia and head of the Virginia delegation
                  at the Convention;

                  Called for a new central government with sweep-
                  ing powers;

                  Called for a bicameral national legislature:

                        In both chambers, a state would be repre-
                        sented according to its--

                              Total free population;

                              or

                              Tax contributions to the national
                              treasury.

                        The national legislature would--

                              Elect the national chief executive;

                              Appoint the judges on the U.S.
                              Courts.

                  Under the Virginia Plan, the four large states
                  would dominate--

                        Both houses of the national legislature;

                        The national executive;

                        The U.S. Courts.

                  [Or, so it seemed to the small states.]

            The issue of legislative representation divided the
            Convention into two opposing blocs of delegates:

                  (1)  Delegates from and representing the inter-
                       ests of the large states;

                  (2)  Delegates from and representing the inter-
                       ests of the small states.

            Delegates from the small states supported an alterna-
            tive plan for a new central government--the NEW JER-
            SEY PLAN.

            THE NEW JERSEY PLAN:

                  Was presented by William Patterson, one of the
                  delegates from New Jersey;

                  Called for a central government with a degree
                  of authority greater than that of the central
                  government under the Articles of Confederation;

                        [The proposed constitutional grant of
                        authority to the central government in-
                        cluded the powers to (1) tax and (2)
                        regulate interstate and foreign com-
                        merce.]

                  Called for a unicameral (single-chamber) na-
                  tional legislature in which each state would
                  cast only one vote in the legislature's deci-
                  sion on a given issue.

                        There would be equal representation of
                        the states in the national legislature.

      WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT THE CONFLICT OVER LEGISLATIVE
      REPRESENTATION BE RESOLVED:

            The conflict between the two blocs of states over
            representation of the states in the national legisla-
            ture deadlocked the Federal Convention and threatened
            to break it up.

            If the Convention was to continue meeting and delib-
            erating and manage to draft and propose a new consti-
            tution providing for a stronger central government,
            the controversy over legislative representation had
            to be resolved.

            If the issue had not been resolved by the Federal
            Convention, a proposed new constitution could not
            have been obtained at the time.

THE CONNECTICUT COMPROMISE:

      WHAT IT WAS:

            The agreement that--

                  Was reached in the Federal Convention;

                  Resolved the controvery over representation
                  of the states in the national legislature.

            The compromise was urged by three delegates from
            Connecticut.

            A special committee of the Convention examined the
            proposed agreement and recommended that the Conven-
            tion vote to approve the proposal.

            The Convention approved the Connecticut Compromise by
            a very slim majority.

                  By the skin of its teeth, the Constitutional
                  Convention averted a breakup.

      KEY PROVISIONS:

            A bicameral national legislature.

            UPPER CHAMBER--THE U.S. SENATE:

                  The states would be REPRESENTED EQUALLY.

                        Each state would choose two members.

                        The state legislature would elect the
                        two members.

                  Each member of the Upper Chamber--

                        Would have one vote in any decision of
                        the chamber;

                        Would vote INDEPENDENTLY--i.e.. would not
                        be bound by instructions from the state
                        legislature that elected him.

            LOWER CHAMBER--THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

                  The states would be REPRESENTED ACCORDING TO
                  POPULATION.

                        The larger the population of a state, the
                        more seats it would be entitled to fill
                        in the Lower Chamber.

                        Each member would have one vote in any
                        decision of the chamber.

                  Seats in the Lower Chamber would be filled by
                  DIRECT POPULAR ELECTION.

                  All bills for raising revenue--all tax bills--
                  would ORIGINATE in (be first introduced into)
                  the Lower House.

                        In the Upper House, action could not be
                        taken on a revenue bill until it was
                        first considered and passed by the Lower
                        Chamber.

                        However, the Upper House would have full
                        power of debate and amendment.

      THE CONNECTICUT COMPROMISE & THE SMALL STATES:

            Once the large-state delegates had conceded equal
            representation of the states in the Upper Chamber
            of the national legislature, most of the fears of
            the small-state delegates vanished.

            Since there were many more small states than there
            were large states, equal representation in the Upper
            House would allow the small states to predominate in
            that chamber.

                  The small-state majority in the Upper House
                  could protect its interests against the popu-
                  lar numerical majority in the Lower House.

            Acceptance of the Connecticut Compromise by the
            Federal Convention made it possible for the small
            states to agree to the establishment of a strong
            national government.























CONTINUED ON THIRD PAGE,
NOTES ON THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION OF 1787 & THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITED STATES






Return to Page One, Unit One
THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM
Constitutional Democracy & the American Constitutional System


Go to Website Index

Return to POLITICAL EDUCATION Homepage