Hey guys.
Welcome to Hip Hughes History.
In the next 10 - 15 minutes, we're going to take a look at the Constitutional Convention
and the important compromises that were brokered in order to create our Constitution that we live under today in the United States.
So, what is the Constitutional Convention?
The Constitutional Convention is a series of meetings that occurred in the summer of 1787
and now you might have heard that year before if you watched our Articles of Confederation lecture.
Remember, the Articles of Confederation - it's important to understand this: was our 1st Constitution
and in class, what do we say, right? The Articles of Confederation suck because the Feds were too...?
weak! Right!
The States had all the power!
If it was an analogy: the children ran the house and the father wasn't there he was absent - he had no power.
So, in order to fix those problems after Shay's Rebellion - and there were other issues:
I believe Rhode Island was charging extra tax for mail carriers to come into the State;
there were other issues over claims of water rights to rivers.
They knew that the Articles of Confederation had to change or go,
and they 1st called a meeting in Annapolis, Maryland - this is called 'the Annapolis Convention',
and that was a meeting to determine, basically, the fate of what they were going to do.
And when they decided to revise the Articles at a convention held in Philadelphia in 1787 in May,
some of the States flipped out - Rhode Island, I think, especially.
They were like 'Ain't gonna go, ain't gonna do it!'
because they figured: 'hey!' if they weren't there nothing could happen!
Because, if you remember back in time, (argh!) 13 out of 13 states were necessary in order to change the Articles,
so 'if Rhode Island ain't there baby, there ain't no change in the document',
But they're wrong. They're going to do it anyway.
So actually when Rhode Island doesn't show up - you know - it's decided
you know - it was argued - Hamilton, Madison argued: 'Look, we have to do this again. We have to start anew.'
So, they took the Articles of Confederation and scrumpled it up and
Aim! Fire!
Score!
And they started over again.
That is what the Constitutional Convention is for! It is to write a new Constitution.
So it's probably 1 of the most important events in American history because this is where the game is set up!
This is where the rules are written and once you write the rules, you gotta follow the rules.
So! Let's look at some of the major compromises and some of the - you know - essential components of the Constitution.
Not too much - we'll save the Constitution for further lectures, but we'll kind of get the framework done today.
So here we go! Let's take a look, 1st, at the Great Compromise!
Arghh! Great compromise!
The Great Compromise.
The Great Compromise is probably the most important and kind of most-used-on-tests kind of multiple choice question/vocabulary word that you're going to get,
so you definitely want to get this down.
They use 2 terms for it. Well, we're going to look at both of them just so you know 'em.
The Great Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise You see that? It's the same thing!
The Great Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise
Watch out! Because if they use either 1, you've got to be ready for it.
The Great Compromise is over that old great magic word, and you know it - it starts with an R. Come on...r[...] r[...] r[...] r[...] r[...] ?
Representation!
Representation. The States - remember: federalism is the division of power between:
the Federal government sometimes I say 'the Daddy'
and the children.
You need to give the children enough power to run their lives,
and the father enough power to make sure the family survives - especially through hard times.
So, the States are here really deciding: 'How are you going to represent me?' This child in this family.
And there's basically 2 viewpoints, so let's look at the 2 viewpoints.
There is the large state viewpoint, right? Like the state with lots and lots of people - the 1 that thinks they deserve a little more respect - a little more power.
And you have the smaller state - the little kid brother, right? The 1 where maybe it is: not a lot of people living in it,
and it thinks - you know - 'I deserve some power too, Mister.'
So, that's really what the conflict is over - its over State representation in the new Congress.
'How are you going to make me feel comfortable - that I'm going to have a voice in this family of federalism, right?'
So, the 2 plans are: the Virginia plan (large State) and the New Jersey plan (small State)
The Virginia plan. Large State.
And the New Jersey plan. Small state.
And the resulting Compromise? you know it! It's the...C[...] C[...] C[...]
Connecticut Compromise.
So basically, the Virginia plan - the major multiple choices - they wanted representation determined on p... ?
Population!
Because they have a lot of people! They think they earned it! They think they deserve more power.
So, they basically wanted...I think they wanted a 2-house Congress - both of them seated based on population,
and then the Congress would elect the President...there's some other rules in there that they wanted,
but the basic concept is: they wanted their representation to be determined by the amount of people that were living in their land,
and the kid brother is like 'No way!'
So the New Jersey plan is, basically, the opposite.
It is that 'We should have equal representation' that each State-
It's like: the New Jersey plan's like a new and improved Articles of Confederation plan.
They still like that idea that their representation is equal with everybody else.
It's almost like they see themselves as a little nation joining...like a - you know - an alliance, rather than a kid joining a family.
So they wanted representation based on equality - everybody got the same.
Music: "You can't always get what you want."
You can try sometimes, and you just might find, you get what you need - a Connecticut Compromise.
This is the system that was set up, that we have today.
Basically, we have a 'two House Congress' - that's the term they use sometimes,
and sometimes you'll see a Latin 'bi-cameral' legislature.
bi = two cameral = house legislature = Congress
A two-House Congress where you're going to make each State feel okay.
You're going to say to Virginia 'I've got something for you!'
'I've got the House of Representation!'
The House of Representation is made up based on the State's population.
Every 10 years we have a Census. The Census determines the State population.
'How many kids are living in that bedroom with a kid?'
And then their representation is determined on that number.
So, Virgina's like 'Yeah!'
And New Jersey is like 'What do you got for me?'
'So, we have the Senate for you New Jersey! You'll be happy in the Senate because every State gets 2 Senators!'
'It don't matter who you are - everybody gets 2!'
Alabama and Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia - they all - all of them! They all get 2.
So, that's the Connecticut Compromise guys.
Know the Virginia plan - the large state plan based on p- p- p- p- ?
Population!
And the small State plan - the New Jersey plan - which results and gets...
the Senate! Based on equality - 2 for everybody.
That's the Great Compromise. That's the New Jersey plan.
We're ready to move on! Here we go!
All right guys! Let's look at the 2nd compromise that you need to know about at the Constitutional Convention,
and that is: 'the 3/5th's Compromise'.
Basically, the 3/5th's Compromise - sometimes it's a tricky kind of multiple choice,
but - you know - it really is about slavery...but it's not. Nobody really had the cajones back then to argue that slavery should've been abolished.
There were Abolitionists - they just were in Philadelphia, in 1787, in that room.
And the South basically said 'if you touch slavery, we're not going to join this family'
and that ultimatum worked, so slavery really isn't up for discussion.
The only thing that really is mentioned about slavery is the slave trade being banned after 20 years.
In 1808, (constitutionally) that ended. I'm sure it happened after that,
but really it's the absence of slavery that's the most important thing to note - by not talking about the legality of slavery...
down the road, we're going to find ourselves, as new States enter the Union - you know - that issue popping up over and over and over and over again,
which is leading us eventually to the Civil War.
So boo-ey on them.
But the 3/5th's Compromise, if it's not about slavery, it does revolve around slaves.
The issue is really about money and representation, so the North basically saw this issue...
we're talking really now about the Census and the House of Representation.
Because, if you remember: the House of Representation is based on p- p- p- p- p- ?
Population! So the more people you have, Yeah! the more power you get.
So, for the 1st time ever, the South is saying: 'My slaves are citizens.'
'This guy, right here? Ah he's a citizen, yeah - heh heh heh!'
Because that population is going to give him more representation, but at the same time when it came to property 'no no no no!'
'We don't want him a citizen because we don't want to be taxed! We want him to be a piece of property - you can't tax that! You can tax people.'
So, the North did not want slaves to count when it came to representation, (they did when it came to taxes).
So, that fraction - that disgusting, evil, genocidal fraction - the ⅗ th's Compromise - is what African-American slaves were chalked up to be worth.
So when the Census came, when they got to African-Americans, it was 1, 2, 3, 4 = 1, right? oh! I messed that up!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - for every 5 you got 3.
So it'd be 1,2,3,4 = 3, right? 6,7,8,9 = 6???...i dunno.
3/5th's Compromise. You should know what it is.
So! We're going to wrap this up by going over basically: ratification and some other vocab words
And then we'll hopefully wish you [some French? word similar to A'dieu] farewell.
Ratification.
Ratification means: the passing of the US Constitution.
They needed 9 out of 13, (I believe), of the States to agree.
Rhode Island wasn't there,
and there was some contention about whether they should pass it or whether it was too dangerous of a new form of federalism,
whether we were creating a monster, and we didn't know it.
So many States, New York, I think, in particular, a lot of the citizens were against it - they were anti-Fed.
They were anti-big-government.
This is where we get the 'Federalist Papers'.
The Federalist Papers were written by New Yorkians - by Alexander Hamilton and by a Virginian - James Madison,
and some other guys - John Jay, I think, wrote a few,
that argued for this new Constitution - that it was a necessity
in order to have a strong government, to create order,
and to protect property and to really guide the - you know - country into being powerful and being able to stand on its own 2 feet.
So they were called 'the Feds' There are Feds and Anti-Feds.
Feds wanted ratification. They wanted a powerful new 'father'.
Remember, federalism is the division of power between the 'father' and the 'kids'? The daddy and the States.
The federal government - the national government and the States, right?
And Anti-Feds. Even though Thomas Jefferson wasn't there, (he was in France during the Convention),
he - you know - really worried about this,
worried about creating a central government that might be rotten - that might be evil - that might be - you know - too powerful.
So, really, that's the 3rd compromise - this Fed 'We want it. We want it bad' and this Anti-Fed 'No way, man!'
What are the Anti-Feds really worried about? Because they need something from this deal.
They're Anti-Fed - they're worried about their rights.
So if we give them protection - if we give them something to hang their hat on so they feel protected within this new family of federalism,
then they'll sign off on it.
So, that's where the Bill of Rights comes from.
Think of the Bill of Rights like a shield, right?
Giving the Anti-Feds the shield so they feel secure in this new relationship - that they have protection against that 'father' - against that federal government.
So, we'll go through the Bill of Rights - you can watch the Bill of Rights hand game or learn it on your own,
but those basically say what the government cannot do - it limits the Feds. Its Anti-Fed in nature.
So with the Bill of Rights and with the Federalist Papers - those papers that argue for this new Constitution,
in class, I call it 'the 2nd Book of Duh', (common sense being the 1st Book of Duh).
but 'the Book of Duh' like 'Come on! duh!'
'the Articles sucked - they were too weak - we need this, baby'
And those 2 things get the Constitution ratified, (Rhode Island withstanding).
What's up with you Rhode island? Really?
Whatever.
But that ratifies the new Constitution, and in 1787, we get that ratification.
George Washington is selected unanimously as the 1st President.
The President could serve...not lifetime terms but could run as many times as they wanted to in the original Constitution.
Remember, the Constitutional Convention in the summer of...
1787,
originally revising the Articles of Confederation, eventually starting with a new blank piece of paper,
has 3 major Compromises.
Remember that you have the Great Compromise or the...?
Connecticut Compromise.
between Virginia (the large States) and New Jersey (the small States)
over r[...] r[...] r[...] r[...] r[...] ?
Representation!
which results in a 'bicameral legislature' or a two-House Congress. Remember that.
We have the House of Rep. based on p[...] p[...] p[...] p[...] p[...] ???
You remember! Population.
And the Senate - every State gets 2.
We have the 3/5th's Compromise between:
the North, right? 'Slaves should not count'
and the South - 'Slaves count as citizens because I want more population for more representation, but I don't want to pay taxes'.
And finally, kind of that Anti-Fed, Fed Compromise, right?
which results in the Bill of Rights - which secures - you know - the Anti-Feds fears about a big federal government and gets ratification.
So hopefully that gets you through multiple-choice and maybe even enough to put together a thematic sandwich!
So good luck to you folks! We hope you watch some more lectures and I guess that's it, so farewell.