Education#
Prompt#
Analyze the audio with the following components:
1. Study guide: A study guide for the student based on the topics presented in class.
2. Homework: A list of homework questions to test and reinforce the class materials for students to work on.
3. List of student concerns: A list of topics that may need additional support based on the classroom interactions.
4. Transcript: A transcription of the lecture.
Study Guide
Key Topics Covered:
Historical Context: The role of George Washington and the setting of the Constitutional Convention.
Virginia Plan: Proposes three branches of government with two houses based on population.
New Jersey Plan: Proposes three branches of government with one house giving equal representation to each state.
Great Compromise: Combines elements of both the Virginia and New Jersey plans, creating a bicameral legislature with the House of Representatives based on population and the Senate providing equal representation with two senators per state.
Important Concepts:
Rule of Secrecy: The importance of confidentiality during the convention.
Legislative Representation: The debate over representation based on population versus equal representation for each state.
Compromise: The necessity of negotiation and compromise in forming a new government.
Discussion Points:
The impact of state size on legislative representation.
The significance of the Great Compromise in resolving disputes between large and small states.
Homework
Comparison Essay: Write a comparative essay on the Virginia and New Jersey plans, highlighting their differences and similarities.
Creative Writing: Imagine you are a delegate at the Constitutional Convention. Write a diary entry for the day, describing your experiences and thoughts on the plans discussed.
Research Assignment: Research the historical significance of the Great Compromise and how it influenced the structure of the U.S. government.
Debate Preparation: Prepare arguments for or against the idea that the Great Compromise was the fairest solution for both large and small states.
List of Student Concerns
Understanding Representation: Some students may struggle with the concept of representation based on population versus equal representation.
Historical Context: Clarification may be needed on the historical figures and their roles in the convention.
Engagement in Debate: Encouraging participation in discussions and debates to ensure all students are engaged and understand the material.
Transcript
Teacher: We are going to open up our convention today, okay? You are sitting with your delegates from your state. And I’m going to be playing the role of George Washington today. When the delegates walked into the convention each morning or sometimes at night, whenever they chose to have their meeting, they would greet each other pretty formally. So you know welcome, Dr. Franklin. It was nice to see you last night. You know thank you for coming today. You can go ahead and turn that on. Okay. So I want you to kind of greet yourself formally. You would have shaken hands. And remember, to shake hands, you want to give a nice you don’t want to squeeze their hand to death, but you give a firm handshake to show a sign of respect to each other even if you didn’t get along with the delegates from the other states. Okay? So I want you to take about 30 seconds or so and just meet the delegates around you. Introduce yourself to the delegates around you. It’s so nice to see you today. Thank you for coming today. I appreciate it. Okay. If you will head back to your states, please. I’m going to use the gavel as a sign. Just I know you’re going to be up moving around today, so I’ll use that. Anytime you hear that, please head back to your delegation. Okay? One of the things at the convention, the Constitutional Convention, that we got to take pretty serious is the rule of secrecy. And we’ve talked about that. Several of you expressed concern that you don’t want to worry people outside of Independence Hall. And I understand. I want you all to be able to speak freely in here without concern of upsetting people back home. Okay? So in order to do that, I’m going to ask you to please stand. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I promise.
Students: I promise.
Teacher: Not to divulge.
Students: Not to divulge.
Teacher: To the public.
Students: To the public.
Teacher: What is discussed at this convention.
Students: What is discussed at this convention.
Teacher: Okay. And thank you. You may have a seat. Delegate from Delaware, can you please be the sergeant of arms today and just be sure that the doors you know don’t let anybody in the door. If someone does knock at the door, we need to be careful there. Okay? So don’t let anybody up. Okay. So the first issue that we’ve got to discuss today is, in our new government, how are we going to be represented? How are your states going to have a say in our new government? Okay? There are a couple of plans that I know several of you discussed with me. And I’m going to go ahead and start with James Madison and Virginia today. And if you all would come up and go ahead and explain to us what your idea and we’ll call it the Virginia plan. And if you all would come up and explain to the rest of the delegates what your idea is. You can use the board if you want. You don’t have to use the board.
Student: Oh, okay.
Teacher: Okay, okay.
Student: Okay. So basically, what the Virginia plan is is it offers three branches of government, the judicial, the executive, and the legislative. And it also has two houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate, so yeah.
Teacher: Okay. And what is it going to be based off? How are we going to send people to this government? It’s going to be based off what? Population. Population.
Student: The population.
Teacher: Okay. So as a big state big states are going to like this idea for government, right, because they’re going to get more power in the government. So on your piece of paper, let’s just kind of write this out so we can see it on paper. Okay? So the branches of government for the Virginia plan, and you can just copy down up here, we had the executive branch, judicial branch, and then we had a legislative branch under the Virginia plan. And this is where our concern is. James Madison, can you tell us once again, the legislative branch called for how many houses?
Student: Two.
Teacher: Okay. So it called for two houses. And do you know what they do you remember what they were called?
Student: Yes, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Teacher: Okay. So the House of Representatives and the Senate. Okay? And you all told me can you correct it again? How was it organized? It was based off what?
Student: Population.
Teacher: Okay. So both of these houses are based off population. Okay. My last question and I kind of kind of already gave you the answer. Noah, what kind of kind of states are going to favor this plan? Large states, big states, small states, medium states?
Student: Large states.
Teacher: Large states are going to favor this. Okay? Okay. In your delegation, I’m going to give you about 30 seconds to 45 seconds. And I want you to discuss as a state, would you have favored this plan? And if not, what is maybe a better option? Okay? So at your state only, I just want you to discuss those questions. Okay? At this point, would your state have voted for this Virginia plan for representation in our new government? Virginia, you’re going to support your own plan, right? What about New Jersey? Would you have supported this plan?
Student: No.
Teacher: Why?
Student: Because we have our.
Teacher: Oh, you have your own plan.
Student: Yeah.
Teacher: Okay. Well, why don’t you come up here? I think William Patterson William Patterson, why don’t you come up here and explain your plan?
Student: Our plan was still three branches of government.
Teacher: Okay.
Student: Only one house where every state had one vote.
Teacher: Interesting. Okay. So we’re going to call this the New Jersey plan. Okay. So the New Jersey plan still wants executive, judicial, legislative. They want one house. Okay? And they want it based off what? What did you say?
Student: Based off every state gets one vote.
Teacher: So equal representation. Every state equal. Okay? Every state equal. One vote. However you want to word that. Virginia, what’s the problem with this?
Student: Well, the bigger states are obviously going to need more representation. So if each state gets the equal amount, then you’re going to have problems running into the bigger states versus the small states.
Teacher: Okay. So what kind of state is going to favor the New Jersey plan?
Student: The small states.
Teacher: Smaller states. Okay? Smaller states are going to favor this. Is it fair and this is what we’ve got to decide. Is it fair for large states to have more power in our government? They have more people. I don’t know. You all decide. You all decide that. Is it fair? But what about a state like New Jersey who doesn’t have near as many high population as Virginia? But should they have an equal say, or should Virginia be more powerful and I use powerful in quotes. Should they be more powerful in our new government? Why don’t you take about 30 seconds to a minute to discuss that. Why don’t you decide that?
Student: No. We think that it should still only have one vote even if you’re a big state because one person.
Teacher: So each state would still be equal, right?
Student: Yeah, yeah. And they should be able to. Help solve problems of the smaller states because the larger states are.
Teacher: Okay. So I see some tempers starting to rise. And Connecticut, I think you all have because if you all can’t save the day, then what’s going to happen? Several of you are ready to leave. I know that Ben Franklin is not feeling good. He is tired and he is not feeling good. I know he’s ready to go. So Roger Sherman, I know we had discussed something that might make both the small states and the large states happy. Could you come up and kind of share that with the delegates for us?
Student: We can keep the two-house Congress, where the first house will be the House of Representatives, which will have the representatives from each of our states. And the House, the number of representatives from each state will be based on the state’s population. So Virginia will have more representatives than New Jersey because of the state’s population being bigger. And the second house, we will call it the Senate. The Senate will have two senators from each state. And then the senators will be elected by the state’s legislators.
Teacher: Okay. So Roger Sherman gets the credit for saving the convention because before, small states were arguing for New Jersey plan, and large states were going after Virginia plan. And literally, during this timeframe it took about three weeks debating the New Jersey plan and Virginia plan over and over every day. Debate after debate, fight after fight. Not physical fight, but word fight. And it took a while. Yeah, right? Can you imagine Ben Franklin and James Madison going at it in there? It would be kind of funny. Well, Governor Morris, yeah, that might be used as a weapon, right? He could have used it as a weapon. So Roger Sherman people are getting frustrated, and people are talking to George Washington and telling him, “ you know This is ridiculous. We’re not going to solve this. We can’t revise the articles. This isn’t working.” And Roger Sherman kind of comes up with this plan, and it gets the title of the Great Compromise. And he really goes down in history as saving the convention because he created a plan that both small states and large states are going to favor. Okay? So if you’ll write this down, this is the Great Compromise. They still wanted the three branches of government. He was okay with the executive. He was okay with the judicial. And this is going to start looking familiar because this great compromise was approved, and it is our form of government today, the legislative branch. Okay? So the legislative branch is going to be made up of two houses. This pleases the Virginia. Okay? The first house is going to be the House of Representatives. I’m going to put House of Reps. And in the House of Reps, the way a state gets to send a delegate is based off population. Okay? So this is going to be based off population. Who’s going to favor this plan? Virginia or New Jersey supporters?
Student: Virginia.
Teacher: Virginia. Okay? So this is a piece of the Virginia plan. Large states are going to have more power in the House of Representatives. Now, pretend I don’t have a wig on right now and flip forward to today. In the House of Representatives today, your Californias, your Texas, your New Yorks, your Pennsylvanias, even Ohio. Okay? High population, more representatives in the House. Okay? Alaska, Hawaii, no. They’re not going to have that many representatives. It’s based off population. The second house that the great compromise called for was the Senate. What is this going to be based off of? Representation is going to be based off what?
Student: Our plan.
Teacher: What?
Student: Our plan.
Teacher: The New Jersey plan, which said?
Student: Each state gets one vote.
Teacher: Each state has one vote. Okay? So equal representation. Equal reps. Every state sends how many senators?
Student: Two.
Teacher: Two. Every state sends two senators. Okay? Equal representation. Who’s going to favor this?
Student: Small states.
Teacher: Small states are going to favor this. Okay? So this really solves the problem. And so now, we can move on to even more controversial issues, which we’ll do Monday, like slavery. Okay? Slavery and how to elect our chief executive. Believe it or not, that’s going to be a big issue. We don’t want another King George, right? Okay? Okay. Questions on Virginia plan, New Jersey plan, or the great compromise? Any questions? Okay. All right. You all did a wonderful job on that issue. And so I would like to thank you for that. You may say goodbye to your delegates. Okay? Say goodbye to each other because I’m going to allow you to go back to your hotel for the evening. And I know some of you are going to go over to the tavern. You may follow Governor Morris if you want. Okay? He may lead the way over there. All right. Okay. Thank you all. Thank you for assuming the role of a delegate and debating and compromising today. I appreciate it. So thank you very much for coming to the Constitutional Convention for today. You all have done more than your fair share of work and debating. I know it’s been hard. Please stick with it, and we will pick up the issue of slavery tomorrow. Okay? You all are dismissed.