Essay On The Great Compromise

Submitted By gamer235
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The Great Compromise

JUNE 30, 1787

A Compromise was reached in Philadelphia combining the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan. This has been a major conflict for quite a while. The New Jersey Plan was debated for four days, but the larger states rejected it. The Virginia Plan was debated for two weeks. Many believe that the Compromise that has been reached is a major progression towards the unification of the states under a Federal System and has solved the problem of state representation. The smaller states were in favor of The New Jersey Plan, which was proposed by William Paterson. In many ways this plan resembled our current plan of government, The Articles Of Confederation (This plan proposed a one house legislature with representatives selected by state legislatures). The larger states support the Virginia plan. The Virginia Plan was proposed by Edmund Randolph. The plan favored the interest of the larger states, the smaller states feared that they would have no power. The Compromise was submitted to the Constitutional Convention to break the deadlock created by the New Jersey Plan and The Virginia Plan. The convention decided, after months of debate, that the legislature will be bicameral, meaning there will be two houses, one house will have equal representation, while the other is based on population of the state. After further argument, the delegates agreed to what is really a great compromise but also known as the Connecticut Compromise. Its known as the Connecticut compromise because Roger Sherman who has a large part in this compromise is from Connecticut. The house has the power to originate all bills for raising or spending money. The senate favors the smaller states. Now with two senators each, every state has equal representation.

The Three-Fifths Compromise
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The Slave Trade Compromise

SEPTEMBER 17, 1787

When the Constitutional Congress met in 1787, the delegates found that they could not avoid discussing the issue of slavery. Already one could see the diverging interest of the North and South, conflicts between slave states and free states. The Constitution as a whole can be viewed as document that tried to merge the various interest of different groups in the soon to be United States into a workable system. This holds true for slavery as well. Two compromises concerning slavery emerged in the constitution. First, in order to assuage Northern worries about growing representation in the slave states, it was agreed that 3/5 of the number of slaves would be counted for the purpose of representation and taxation. The other compromise, found in section 9 of the Article I of the Constitution, stipulated that congress would not be able to prohibit the importation of the slaves before 1808, although they may tax them. This helped to counter Southern fears that Congress power to regulate commerce would be able to abolish slavery. This provision could not be changed by admendment, thus, giving the slave trade a 20 year reprieve. This marked the beginning of a pattern whereby other concerns, be they political or economic, overrode the moral questions of slave trade. Although