Ranking the Plans

1. Connecticut Compromise

• Saved the convention
• Equal Representation
• Best of New Jersey and Virginia Plan

2. 3/5 Compromise

• Voting
• Number of electoral college votes
• 3/5 count for representation, but need to pay taxes on them

3. The Virginia Plan

• Three Branches
• Based on population

4. New Jersey Plan

• Unicameral
• Equality

5. Commerce-Slave Trade

• North wanted to abolish slavery completely
• Bans slave trade in 1808
• Could not touch the slave trade for twenty years.
• 90% of what congress does is commerce

6. Bundle of Compromises

• Treaty making process
• President negotiates with congress

Connecticut Compromise

Presented by Roger Sherman at the constitutional convention. The Connecticut compromise is also known as the Great Compromise. This compromise was brought up to give equal representation for the states, no matter the size, and it let states have representatives based on population in the house of representatives. This allows the states to have their people vote on whom to represent them of national issues. This is a quote during the creation of the compromise, "the small ones w[ould] find some foreign ally of more honor and good faith, who will take them by the hand and do them justice." It is stating the the small would act better if they had equal say. This compromise gave equality to states for the senate.

Bundle of Compromises

Today has been a historic day for Philadelphia, the continental congress finished their bundle of compromises that is the constitution. this bundle of compromises contains the many compromises such as the great compromise or the Connecticut plan, the 3/5th s compromise, the slave/commerce compromise, and many more. Even Randolph Nesse felt he had the time to comment on how " the body is a bundle of careful compromises". Not only is the fact that the constitution, the now waits upon ratification, is full of compromises good for the creation of our new government, but it sets the tone for a government that is willing to work together to make change for the better.

Intro

The Articles of Confederation has failed us. The purpose of the Articles of Confederation was to create a confederation of states that every state should be as independent as possible with the Federal government only responsible for common defense. This hasn’t worked for us! The Articles misrepresented the population by only giving one vote in Congress, regardless of the state’s size. The Articles gave little to no power to the Federal government and this has proven to be an issue. Congress does not have the power to tax or regulate foreign and interstate commerce. Now we have foreign countries playing favorites with our states! Congress, of course, can pass laws… but there is no executive branch to enforce them, and there is no national court system. In addition to all this, nothing can get done with any speed because Amendments to the Articles required a unanimous vote, and the passing of laws needed a 9/13 majority to pass. 

Three-Fifths Compromise

Today, July 12th 1787, the Three-Fifths Compromise was passed at the Constitutional Convention. This compromise"determined that representation in the House of Representatives would be based on the population of each state., Madison said after the compromise: "It seems now to be pretty well understood that the real difference of interests lies not between the large and small but between the northern and southern states. The institution of slavery and its consequences form the line of discrimination."While working out the kinks of this compromise, there were many debates on how slaves were to be counted. The Northerners want all slaves to be counted as property, thus receiving no representation in the House. The Southerners, on the other hand, want slaves to be counted as whites, which is awfully ironic. How dare slave owners treat blacks as a disposable resource when there is hard labor to be done, but as soon as the southern states want a say in government blacks and white are equal!

The delegates at the Constitution Convention have decided the best way to please both sides was to create the Three-Fifths Compromise. The slaves in each state will now be counted as 3/5 of a person when determining the number of representatives or when taxes are distributed. The delegates James Wilson and Roger Sherman originally proposed the 3/5 idea and lucky pleased all other delegates present. This will created a limited government that will not be able to touch the slave trade for the next 20 years.

It will be interesting to see how the Three-Fifths Compromise will play out over the next few years, especially with how much the Northern states have been growing lately. This may become the Southern states' downfall in the House if the number of Northern representatives pass the number from the South.

The New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan was introduced to the delegates yesterday by William Patterson, a delegate from New Jersey. It created a three-branch government that had a single legislatire which required equal representation from every state, no matter the size or population. The New Jersey Plan protects against one ultimate power. THis allows the people to select legislative members who in turn select Exective member who then select memebers of the Supreme Court. The government will be able to levy taxes, regualte trade, and import duties

 Franklin began the Convention with the issues of unity and the states’ “inability to rally.” Franklin also addressed the struggles of the states as he spoke, “I hope to never to see the day when we the people will become so degenerate as to need an autocratic government." After which the Virginia Plan was introduced, and then the New Jersey Plan. 

The plan proposed the following:

1. The Articles of Confederation should be amended.
2. Congress should have the ability to raise funds via tariffs and to regulate interstate commerce and commerce with other nations. 
3. Congress has the authority to collect taxes from states based on the npopulation and 3/5ths of slaves in that state.
4. The federal judiciary is represented by someone appointed by the federal executive, which has authority in federal impeachment cases and as the appeal of last resort in cases dealing with national matters.
5. The Articles of Confederation and treaties are the supreme law of the land. The federal executive is authorized to use force to compel non-compliant states to observe the law.
6. A policy of admission of new states should be established, as well as single naturalization policy.
7. A citizen of one state can be arrested by the laws of another state in which the crime was committed.

 Ultimately,the New Jersey Plan was rejected and combined with the Virginia Plan to create the Conneticiut Comprimise. Although some ideas from the New Jersey Plan were added.The most important change was a multi-branch legislature with the U.S. House of Representatives apportioned by population, as desired by the Virginia Plan, and the Senate granted equal votes for each state.  This will hopefully grant the citizens of out country popular sovereignty and we will be able to vote for our officials!

The Virginia Plan

Today, in Philadelphia, the revision of the Articles of Confederation has begun.  Virginia is taking the initiative here, to frame the debate by drawing up and suggesting a proposal, primarily created by James Madison. Today, Edmund Randolph, Virginian Governor, brings it to the convention. The proposal is in the form of 15 different resolutions.

This proposal is  called the Virginia Plan. It is proposing a legislative branch that has two chambers. We call this a bicameral legislature.  Each state would be represented in proportion to their population.  Therefore, larger populated states would  have more representatives then the smaller states. Of course, the large states are all in favor. Small states are not.

Many other  issues are addressed in this Virginia Plan.  Its says that one of the chambers of the legislature should be elected by the people, and then the second chamber would be chosen by the first chamber from nominations by the states government.  Executive should be chosen by the legislative. Also, a system of “checks and balances” is proposed. This means that legislative acts could be vetoed by a council made up of the executive and some members of the judicial branch. . This would make sure that no one would have too much power. After all, James Madison says, "All men having power ought to be mistrusted."

The Virginia Plan seems to be well thought out. It will be interresting to see how the convention will respond to it. We will keep you updated on the passing, rejecting, or editing of the Virginia Plan.