In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed." But how would Americans consent to be governed? Who should vote? How should they vote? The founders wrestled with these questions. They wondered about the rights of minorities. In their day, that meant worrying if the rights of property owners would be overrun by the votes of those who did not own land.
James Madison described the problem this way: The right of suffrage is a fundamental Article in Republican Constitutions. The regulation of it is, at the same time, a task of peculiar delicacy. Allow the right [to vote] exclusively to property [owners], and the rights of persons may be oppressed... . Extend it equally to all, and the rights of property [owners]
...may be overruled by a majority without property.... Eventually, the framers of the Constitution left details of voting to the states. In Article I Section 4, the Constitution says: The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law
make or alter such regulations. Unfortunately, leaving election control to individual states led to unfair voting practices in the U.S. At first, white men with property were the only Americans routinely permitted to vote. President Andrew Jackson, champion of frontiersmen, helped advance the political rights of those who did not own property. By about 1860, most white men without property were enfranchised. But African Americans, women, Native Americans, non-English
speakers, and citizens between the ages of 18 and 21 had to fight for the right to vote in this country. Part of
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Representation
 (Wikimedia) Large and small states fought over representation in Congress. Large states favored representation by population, while small states argued for equal representation by State. The "Great Compromise" allowed for both by establishing the House of Representatives, which was apportioned by populations, and the Senate which represented the states equally. learn more State vs. Federal Powers
(Wikimedia) A central issue at the Convention was whether the federal government or the states would have more power. Many delegates believed that the federal government should be able to overrule state laws, but others feared that a strong federal government would oppress their citizens. The delegates compromised by allotting specific responsibilities to the federal government while delegating all other functions to the states. Watch video Executive Power
General George Washington (MVLA) Having fought a war against tyranny, Americans were suspicious of executive power. The Convention held no fewer than 60 votes before the delegates agreed upon the Electoral College as the method of selecting the president. However, unspoken among the delegates was the knowledge that George Washington would become the first president, and they trusted him to define the office. view timeline Slavery
Though the word "slavery" does not appear in the Constitution, the issue was central to the debates over commerce and representation. The "Three-Fifths Compromise" provided that three-fifths (60%) of enslaved people in each state would count toward congressional representation, which greatly increased the number of congressional seats in several states, particularly in the South. The Convention also debated whether to allow the new federal government to ban the importation of enslaved people from outside of the United States, including directly from Africa. They ultimately agreed to allow Congress to ban it, should it choose, but not before twenty years had passed. Remarkably, it was one of the only clauses of the Constitution that could not be amended. Only in 1808 did the United States formally prohibit the international slave trade. Learn more Commerce
Portrait of Alexander Hamilton by John Trumbull (Wikimedia) Under the Articles of Confederation, the individual states competed against each other economically. They issued their own currencies and even levied taxes on each other's goods when they passed over state lines. Delegates like Washington, Madison, and Hamilton believed that promoting the free flow of commerce across state lines and nationalizing the economy would lead to America's becoming an economic powerhouse. Learn More about Hamilton
The Economy After the Revolutionary WarWashington Library Founder Dr. Douglas Bradburn discusses the state of the American economy after the… Watch the Video How was the Constitution created?Find Out Richard M. Ketchum. The World of George Washington. (New York,
American Heritage Publishing Company, Inc.) What was the problem the framers of the Constitution had?A central issue at the Convention was whether the federal government or the states would have more power. Many delegates believed that the federal government should be able to overrule state laws, but others feared that a strong federal government would oppress their citizens.
What issue did many of the framers of the Constitution have with having a president quizlet?The Framers were worried that an executive branch would have too much power and take over the government, but they wanted one with enough power to carry out its responsibilities yet not strong enough to overwhelm the other branches. What powers does the constitution grant to the president?
Why did the framers reject allowing Congress to elect the president?The Constitutional Convention considered several possible methods of selecting a president. One idea was to have the Congress choose the president. This idea was rejected, however, because some felt that making such a choice would be too divisive an issue and leave too many hard feelings in the Congress.
How did the framers of the Constitution want the president to be elected?As prescribed in the U.S. Constitution, American presidents are elected not directly by the people, but by the people's electors. The Electoral College was created by the framers of the U.S. Constitution as an alternative to electing the president by popular vote or by Congress.
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What issue did many of the framers of the constitution have with having a president?
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