Changes

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were bright, dedicated, and spiritual men.  This was a very special event.

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were bright, dedicated, and spiritual men.  This was a very special event.

The delegates decided that secrecy should govern the deliberations, without any news leaking to the reporters.  This secrecy benefited the Convention because the delegates could proceed freely and try different ideas without fearing that their actions would be misunderstood by the public.  Everyone was ordered to destroy their notes after the convention.  James Madison, however, kept his and they were released when he died fifty years later, providing most of our current knowledge about it.  

The delegates decided that secrecy should govern their deliberations, without any news leaking to reporters and the public.  This secrecy benefited the Convention because the delegates could proceed freely and try different ideas without fearing that their actions would be misunderstood by the public.  Everyone was ordered to destroy their notes after the convention.  James Madison, however, kept his and they were released when he died fifty years later, providing most of our current knowledge about it.  

 

The Constitutional Convention was governed by strict rules.  For example, "Every member rising to speak, shall address the President; and whilst he shall be speaking, none shall pass between them or hold discourse with another, or read a book, pamphlet or paper."  Nothing was to be considered final until the entire Constitution had been written.  Each state received one vote.

The Constitutional Convention was governed by strict rules.  For example, "Every member rising to speak, shall address the President; and whilst he shall be speaking, none shall pass between them or hold discourse with another, or read a book, pamphlet or paper."  Nothing was to be considered final until the entire Constitution had been written.  Each state received one vote.

Dangers aside, the delegates proceeded to write a new constitution.  They divided themselves into various committees to make the overall task more manageable.  But what form of government would be sufficiently effective without being corrupted by power?  Two plans attempted to answer this question.

Dangers aside, the delegates proceeded to write a new constitution.  They divided themselves into various committees to make the overall task more manageable.  But what form of government would be sufficiently effective without being corrupted by power?  Two plans attempted to answer this question.

The first was submitted by [[Edmund Randolph]] and was called the [[Virginia Plan]], or the Large States Plan because it was favored by the larger states.  Our three branches of government originated in the Virginia Plan.  Unlike the Articles of Confederation, this plan gave government the power to directly enforce laws.  The Virginia Plan assigned delegates to both houses of Congress (a "bicameral" legislature) based on a state's population, and the legislature selected the chief executive (president) and the judges.  The Virginia Plan contributed much to the finished Constitution, although Edmund Randolph refused to sign it in the end.

The first was submitted by [[Edmund Randolph]] and was called the [[Virginia Plan]], or the Large States Plan because it was favored by the larger states.  Our three branches of government -- legislative, executive, and judicial -- originated in the Virginia Plan.  Unlike the Articles of Confederation, this plan gave government the power to directly enforce laws.  The Virginia Plan assigned delegates to both houses of Congress (a "bicameral" legislature) based on a state's population, and the legislature selected the chief executive (president) and the judges under this Plan.  The Virginia Plan contributed much to the finished Constitution, although Edmund Randolph refused to sign it in the end.

In June 1787, William Paterson next proposed the [[New Jersey Plan]], which was more favorable to the small states and which departed less from the Articles of Confederation.  This plan was favored by small states because each state was represented equally in Congress.  This allowed small states to have an equal amount of power.  The Virginia plan, in contrast would have allowed large states much more power that small ones because representation in Congress was based on population.

In June 1787, William Paterson next proposed the [[New Jersey Plan]], which was more favorable to the small states and which departed less from the Articles of Confederation.  This plan was favored by small states because each state was represented equally in Congress.  This allowed small states to have an equal amount of power.  The Virginia plan, in contrast would have allowed large states much more power that small ones because representation in Congress was based on population.