You have been selected to come to Philadelphia and represent your state in the Constitutional Convention. In your mind you have doubts about the potential success of the convention. You wonder if any solutions will be reached in order to solve the growing problems of the new nation. Many who are attending the convention are in favor of a "strong centralized government". Others are happy with the Federation of state rights that had been formed under the Article of Confederation. A compromise must be met in order to settle the stirring emotions of "the people". First, you will be given a partner and a position to defend. You will answer the following questions in a point of view that will support your position (i.e. Federalist or Anti-Federalist). You will write a short, persuasive speech to present to the Convention. Second, you and your partner will be placed across the table from another pair who supports the opposite point of view. The four of you will listen to each others arguments, as well as the other arguments of the Convention members, and you will reach a compromise.
Question #1 : What problems do you see arising throughout the growing population of the nation? Why are the people unhappy with the new country they fought so hard to obtain?
http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/conhist.html
Question #2 : What are the ideas of the Articles of Confederation? Is this a good plan for the new nation? Why or why not?
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_arti.html http://www.usconstitution.net/articles.html
http://www.wepin.com/articles/afp/index.html
Question #3 : What are the ideas of the Virginia Plan? Is this a good plan for the new nation? Why or why not?
http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/conhist.html
http://www.mcs.net/~knautzr/fed/fedpaper.html