Connecticut Compromise

Examples of Connecticut Compromise in the following topics:

• A New Constitution

  • However, the Connecticut Compromise proposed by Roger Sherman outlined a system of bicameral legislation that included both proportional and equal representation.
  • Also known as the “Great Compromise,” it allowed for both plans to work together and defined the legislative structure and representation of each state under the Constitution.
  • The Three-Fifths Compromise, which assessed population by adding the number of free persons to three-fifths of the number of "all other persons" was agreed to without serious dispute.
  • Under this compromise, each slave was counted as three-fifths of a person, allowing the slave states to include a portion of their enslaved population when allocating representation.
  • Explain the purpose of the Connecticut Compromise and how compromise shaped the creation of the Constitution

• The U.S. Constitution

  • However, the "Connecticut Compromise" proposed by Roger Sherman outlined a system of bicameral legislation that included both proportional and equal representation.
  • The "Great Compromise" was adopted by the Convention and became the foundation for the structure of the legislative branch of federal government that exists today.
  • The Connecticut Compromise set the tone of the rest of the Convention's activity: bargaining among various delegates to balance disparate interests and ideologies to form what would become the Constitution of 1788.
  • For example, the Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement reached by northern and southern states whereby slaves would be counted as 3/5 a person in the population (boosting the amount of seats that southern states could hold in the House of Representatives).

• The Structure of the Government

  • However, the "Connecticut Compromise" (more popularly known as the "Great Compromise") proposed by Roger Sherman outlined a system of bicameral legislation that included both proportional and equal representation.
  • The "Great Compromise" became the foundation for the structure of the legislative branch of federal government that exists today.
  • Furthermore, the Connecticut Compromise set the tone of the rest of the Convention's activity; bargaining among various delegates to balance disparate interests and ideologies to form the Constitution.
  • For instance, the Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement reached by northern and southern states whereby slaves would be counted as 3/5 a person in the population (boosting the amount of seats that southern states could hold in the House of Representatives).

• "A More Perfect Union"

  • While some compromises made at the convention would strengthen the new republic, other compromises would eventually tear the country apart.
  • Delegates eventually adopted the Connecticut Compromise (or the Great Compromise) which blended the Virginia (large-state) and New Jersey (small-state) proposals.
  • After adopting the Great Compromise, delegates moved on to tackle the most controversial issue threatening the Union: slavery.
  • Finally, delegates agreed on the Three-Fifths Compromise, which was able to temporarily keep the young nation together.
  • Identify the compromises Convention delegates made in order to create a More Perfect Union

• Conclusion: The Development of the Constitution

  • The Connecticut Compromise established a bicameral legislature, with the House of Representatives apportioned by population as desired by the Virginia Plan and the Senate granted equal votes per state as desired by the New Jersey Plan—combining the two plans in a workable whole.
  • The Three-Fifths Compromise was another agreement made between the Northern and Southern states related to representation of slaves for purposes of legislation and taxation.
  • The free states found the compromise negligible when compared with the ultimate goal of writing a new governing document, and slave states were satisfied by this provision and agreed to support the plan.
  • A special committee instead worked out another compromise: Congress would have the power to ban the importation of slaves, but not until at least 20 years had passed, in 1808.
  • Summarize the debates and compromises that comprised the process of forming the new Constitution

• The Hartford Convention

  • The depth of the Federalists’ discontent became evident when twenty-six Federalists met in Connecticut in December of 1814 for the Hartford Convention.
  • The Hartford Convention met between December 1814 and early 1815 and included delegates from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
  • The Convention discussed removing the three-fifths compromise, which gave slave states more power in Congress; they also discussed requiring a two-thirds super majority in Congress for the admission of new states, declarations of war, and laws restricting trade.

• Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine

  • Connecticut was formed as a migration from the Massachusetts colony.
  • The original settlements were along the Connecticut River at Hartford, Windsor and Wethersfield.
  • New Haven was settled separately, but all joined together as Connecticut, in 1662.
  • This is a map showing the Connecticut, New Haven, and Saybrook colonies from 1636-1776.
  • It does not show Connecticut's western land claims and dispute with Pennsylvania.

• The Politics of Slavery

  • As a result of the very gradual approach taken by many states, New York did not free its last slaves until 1829, Rhode Island had 5 slaves still listed in the 1840 census, Pennsylvania's last slaves were freed in 1847, Connecticut did not completely abolish slavery until 1848, and slavery was not completely lifted in New Hampshire and New Jersey until the nationwide emancipation in 1865.
  • That was a compromise, as Thomas Jefferson's original proposal in 1784 to end slavery in all the territories lost in Congress by one vote.
  • The electorate split four ways: Southern Democrats endorsed slavery, while the Republicans denounced it; Northern Democrats said democracy required the people to decide on slavery locally, while the Constitutional Union Party said the survival of the Union was at stake and everything else should be compromised.

• African Americans and the Republic

  • Finally, delegates James Wilson and Robert Sherman proposed the Three-Fifths Compromise, which the convention eventually adopted.
  • This final compromise established the policy of counting slaves as three-fifths of a person.
  • Many states, such as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, required long apprenticeships of former slave children before they gained freedom and came of age as adults.

• The Ratification Debate

  • The Constitution was proposed in September 1787, and by year's end states that were in favor (including Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut) had quickly ratified it.
  • The Federalists succeeded owing largely to Hamilton's efforts to reach a number of key compromises with moderate Anti-Federalists.