Student Essay on The Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention

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Essay

Tahleah Brownlee 10-16-05

Essay- Constitutional Convention pd. 8(9)

Compromise was used in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to solve conflict from major problems in the new nation. These compromises included, the Great Compromise, the Three-Fifths Compromise, and the Tariff (taxes) Compromise. The Great Compromise was "representation" based on population in the first part (The Virginia Plan), and equal representation in the second part (the New Jersey Plan). The Three- Fifths Compromise consisted of the northern states view and the southern states view. The tariff compromise also had the northern states view and the southern states view. They had different views on taxes, and they had to come to an agreement/ compromise.

Each of the problems caused conflict because of the inequality between the people. With each situation some agreed, and some disagreed. For the Great Compromise, some wanted representation to be based on population, and the others wanted equal representation. For the Three- Fifths Compromise, they had to decide if slaves shouldn't be counted for representation but should be counted for taxes (Northern states view), or if slaves should be counted in population for representation but not for taxes. For the Tariff Compromise the northern states wanted an economy based on trade, and tax on imports, but the southern states wanted an economy based on agriculture, and did not want tax on imports they also feared prohibition of slave trade.

Even though there were conflicts, there was a solution for each. This solution was Compromise. The Great Compromise resolved the conflict by becoming bicameral (equal representatives; two from each state). The Three- Fifths Compromise agreed to, every five slaves equals three people for taxation and representation. The Tariff Conflict compromised with federal Government regulating trade, making tax on imports and not on exports, and no prohibition of slave trade for twenty years.

Using each of these compromises the new nation was able to solve the conflict from their major problems. Everyone agreed even though they had to give up something in order to get something in their favor.