<p>It answers the first essay question of chapter six.</p>
<pre><code>The Constitution was the result of revising the Articles of Confederation in order to strengthen the government of the United States. Its creation called for agreements to be made on controversial issues among thirteen states. The subjects of legislative representation and the practice of slavery were hotly contested by factions until compromises were made.
Large states favored legislative representation based on population (ie. representation was directly proportional to state population). This was the Virginia Plan. Small states preferred legislative representation based on equal representation. This was the New Jersey Plan. Roger Sherman supervised the Connecticut Compromises by which a bicameral legislature was created. Representation in the upper house, The Senate, was equal; there were two senators per state. Representation in the lower house, Congress, was based on population.
The idea of equality in relation to slavery perplexed many Americans. Because the northern states tended to focus more on industry than agriculture, these states wished for an immediate end to slavery. The economy of the southern states was based more upon agriculture, which found its labor force in slavery. The slave trade compromise was reached in which the slave trade was open until 1808, when Congress could vote to end the practice.
Moreover, the issue of slavery dealt with House Representation as well. The south wished to count slaves as part of their population but refused to grant them the rights of American citizens. The three-fifths compromise was reached where five slaves were counted as three persons.
The Constitution was discussed by delegates representing a diverse group of Americans. Compromises were reached on the issues of representation and slavery, resulting in the creation of a bicameral legislature and the possibility of ending slavery during the early nineteenth century.
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