Constitutional Convention Reading Comprehension Worksheet PDF

COMPROMISE The delegates had to discuss the roles of national and state governments. They needed to decide how much power each state would have. The government would have a congress with representatives from each state. Some states had larger populations, so the delegates had to decide if each state...

COMPROMISE The delegates had to discuss the roles of national and state governments. They needed to decide how much power each state would have. The government would have a congress with representatives from each state. Some states had larger populations, so the delegates had to decide if each state should get an equal amount of control, or if it should be based on population. Delegates disagreed at first. Two plans were presented: the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. The delegates finally came to an agreement that came to be called the Great Compromise They decided to make a Congress with two house: the Senate and the House of Representatives. States would have equal representation in the Senate, regardless of their size. In the House, larger states would have more representatives. VIRGINIA NEW JERSEY GREAT COMPROMISE PLAN PLAN -More power to -Bicameral legislation -More power to state -The number of representatives state -Bicameral would be based on state population -Unicameral legislation in lower house legislation -The number of (two groups) (one group) representatives -The number in -The number of would be equal both houses would representatives from each state in be based on would be equal upper house population from each state RATIFICATION 39 delegates signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787.It became law when nine of the thirteen states ratified, or approved, it. The first state to ratify the Constitution was Delaware and then Pennsylvania. Some people were hesitant for their states to sign the Constitution because they were worried they would have to give up too much power. Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, along with other influential officials, voiced their support ©Teaching to the Middle for the Constitution. They helped sway popular opinion. James Madison and Alexander Hamilton were two of the people who wrote The Federalist Papers to promote the ratification of the Constitution. Eventually all thirteen colonies ratified the Constitution and became states by 1790.