Scholar Exchange: Constitution 101: The Constitutional Convention (Introductory Level)

In this session, students will examine the issues and events that led to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, including the weakness of the Articles of Confederation, Shay’s Rebellion, and the growing need for a new national government. Students will also explore the Convention, and its major turning points and compromises—including the Connecticut Compromise, the Electoral College, the Three-Fifth Compromise, and the Slave Trade Clause.