Importance of the Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise) in the Creation of the American Constit

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Importance of the Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise) in the Creation of the American Constitution

After America was recognized as an independent country from England, the new republic went through almost twenty years worth of trial and error to find a government that would satisfy the needs of the citizens, the states, and the central national government. The most memorable, and influential, action of this time would have to be the Connecticut Compromise, proposed Roger Sherman, following the proposal of the Large and Small State plans at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. This Compromise directly affected the amount of representation from each state, and created the government system we are familiar with today.

In Tindall and Shi’s “America,” the reader is denied the opportunity to have a complete understanding of both the Virginia Plan (representing the large states) and the New Jersey plan (representing the small states.) In order for the people of today to comprehend their government, a detailed historical account of how our government came to be is an important factor. Given a brief explanation, the reader is only vaguely introduced to the concepts that there were disagreements in how our country should be run in the beginning. More emphasis is given to the outcomes and effects of the Connecticut Compromise than why the Compromise was needed in the first place.

The Virginia Plan, introduced by James Madison, suggested for the need of representation based upon a states population, including a states African American slavery population. Thus, it was deemed the Large State plan, since it obviously favored states with heavy population. Tindall and Shi explore this, but leave many questions unansw...

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...ponses to questions from "everything from heavy-handed threats and poker-faced bluffs to heartfelt pleas for accommodation, from candid avowals of interest to abstract appeals for justice" (Rakove). The Tindell and Shi obviously felt the need to leave this out of the textbook because the main issue hanging over the delegates head was the issue of slavery.

The new government was tested by its own strengths and weaknesses before a Constitution was ever written at the Convention. The young country could have been torn apart over issues such as representation and slavery during the summer of 1787 in the city limits of Philadelphia. Instead, the delegates were able to work together to form a government that would appeal to the people of our past, and the people of our future. For over 225 years, this has worked, with only few minor details needing rearranging.

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