An Imperfect Union: The Compromises of the Constitution

Rosie Jayde Uyola
Oct 5
3 min read

Updated: Oct 6

Today's Aim: I can explain how compromises over representation and slavery shaped the Constitution by analyzing arguments from the delegates.

Part I: Let's Get Started (Do Now)

Think of a major disagreement where both sides believe they are 100% right. What makes it so difficult to find a solution in a situation like this?

Part II: Vocabulary

Compromise: An agreement reached by each side giving something up.
Representation: Having someone in government to speak or act on your behalf.
Legislature: The part of government that makes laws (like Congress).
Proportional Representation: Assigning representatives based on a state's population size.
Suffrage: The right to vote.
Inhabitant: A person who lives in a specific place.

Part III: Sources from the Convention

Your Task: Read the original sources and the simplified translations. Your goal is to understand the two major disagreements at the Constitutional Convention.

Conflict #1: How Should States Be Represented?

Original Language	Simplified Language
Source 1: Edmund Randolph, Virginia (a large state) "The rights of suffrage [voting] in the national Legislature ought to be proportioned to... the number of free inhabitants... Is it just that a State which has forty times the inhabitants... should have an equal vote with a State which has not above one-fortieth part of the number?"	Source 1: Edmund Randolph, Virginia (a big state) "The number of votes a state gets in Congress should be based on its population. Is it fair that a big state with 40 times more people gets the same number of votes as a tiny state?"
Source 2: William Paterson, New Jersey (a small state) "The proposition for a proportional representation strikes at the existence of the lesser States... Give the large States an influence in proportion to their magnitude, and what will be the consequence? Their ambition will be proportionally increased, and the small States will have everything to fear."	Source 2: William Paterson, New Jersey (a small state) "Giving states votes based on population is a threat to small states. If we give big states power based on their size, what will happen? They will become too powerful, and the small states will have a lot to be afraid of."

Analysis Question: Based on Sources 1 and 2, what is the core disagreement between large states and small states?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sentence starters to help you:

Large states wanted representation based on...
Small states wanted representation to be...

Conflict #2: How Should Enslaved People Be Counted?

Original Language	Simplified Language
Source 3: Pierce Butler, South Carolina (a southern, slave-holding state) "The security the Southern States want is that their negroes may not be taken from them... The people of the Southern states will not be satisfied unless three-fifths of the black people are included in the rule of representation."	Source 3: Pierce Butler, South Carolina (a southern, slave-holding state) "The Southern states want to make sure no one can take away their enslaved people. We will not be happy unless we can count three-fifths of our enslaved population to get more votes in the government."
Source 4: Gouverneur Morris, Pennsylvania (a northern state) "Upon what principle is it that the slaves shall be computed in the representation? Are they men? Then make them citizens and let them vote. Are they property? Why then is no other property included?... The admission of slaves into the representation... is to give the inhabitant of Georgia and South Carolina who goes to the coast of Africa... more votes... than the citizen of Pennsylvania or New Jersey who views with a laudable horror so nefarious a practice."	Source 4: Gouverneur Morris, Pennsylvania (a northern state) "Why should we count slaves for representation? If they are men, then they should be citizens who can vote. If they are property, then why don't we count other types of property? Counting slaves gives a slave owner from Georgia or South Carolina more voting power than a citizen from Pennsylvania or New Jersey who is horrified by the evil practice of slavery."

Analysis Question: Based on Sources 3 and 4, what is the core disagreement between northern and southern states over slavery and representation?

Sentence starters to help you:

The Southern states argued that enslaved people should be counted for...
The Northern states argued that counting enslaved people was...

Part IV: Exit Ticket (Summary)

The title of our lesson is "An Imperfect Union." Which of the two compromises we discussed today (over representation OR over slavery) do you think was the most difficult to make? Why? Use a specific quote or idea from one of the sources to support your answer.

Fill in the blanks to help you write your answer:

I think the compromise about _______________________ (representation OR slavery) was the most difficult to make. The reason is ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For example, in Source ____, _____________________________ (name of speaker) said,

“_______________________________________________________________________________.”

This shows that ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ .