Creation of the American Constitution

Creation of the American Constitution

A constitution is the legal structure of our political system, establishing

governmental bodies, determining how their members are selected, and

prescribing the rules by which they make their decisions.

The nation's founders, fifty-five men, met in Philadelphia in the summer

of 1787 to write a new constitution and to form a new government. George

Washington was elected chairman of the convention.The founders were all

very well-educated. Over half the delegates had collage degrees, which was

rare in the North American continent at that time.

They also had experience in governing. More than forty of the delegates

held high offices in state governments, including three who were governors.

The founders believed in the idea that the purpose of government was the

protection of individual life, liberty and property.

Following the election of George Washington as president of the convention,

Governor Edmund Randolph of Virginia presented a draft of a new

constitution .The Virginia Plan proposed a two house legislature. A lower

house directly elected by the people of the states based on the population,

and an upper house elected by the lower house.The congress was to have

broad legislative power ,with veto over laws passed by state legislatures.

The President and cabinet would be elected by legislature. The national

judiciary would be elected by legislature , and their would be a "Council

of Revision" with power to veto laws of Congress.

Delegates from New Jersey , New York and Delaware did not agree to the

Virginia Plan due to the great power delegated to the national government.

William Paterson of New Jersey submitted a counterproposal .The New Jersey

Plan proposed a one-house legislature, with equal state representation

regardless of population. Congress had some legislative power, including

levying some taxes and the regulation of commerce.The plan also proposed

separate executive and judicial branches , elected by Congress and

removable by petition from majority of state governors.The judiciary was

appointed by the chief executive .The plan also included the supremacy

clause , stating that the Constitution and federal laws would supersede

over state constitutions and laws .

After several months of debate , Roger Sherman of Connecticut came forward

with a compromise.The Connecticut Compromise proposed a two-house

legislature , with numerical representation in the directly elected House

and equal state representation in the indirectly elected Senate. It also

gave Congress broad legislative power, including the power to levy taxes

and to regulate commerce . It proposed a single executive , chosen by an

Electoral College .The judiciary would be appointed by the president and

confirmed by the Senate .It also included the Supremacy Clause.