american government - james madison: a man with a plan

Discover James Madison's plan for the Constitution!

1. Who met at the Constitutional Convention? people from the U.S. and England men from all thirteen states politicians from Virginia James Madison and Abraham Lincoln 2. Why was the Constitutional Convention held? Each state’s government was too weak. Americans wanted to win independence from England. The national government was too weak. The states wanted to form the first American government. 3. When George Washington said that the national government was, “little more than shadow without the substance,” he probably meant that the colonies should have a King. the states needed more power. that the colonists needed more food. the national government needed more power. 4. Read the following sentences: “After winning independence from England, America’s early days were rocky ones. The national government set up by the Articles of Confederation was weak.”The word rocky most nearly means awesome fun difficult powerful 5. The main idea of this passage is that James Madison caused big arguments between different states. James Madison created a plan that made sure all states were equal regardless of size. James Madison created a plan that helped form the Constitution. James Madison took over the Constitutional Convention and wrote the Constitution by himself. 6. What is one example in the passage of problems between the state governments and the national government? Type your answer in the space below. 7. Based on the passage, why would Madison be known as “the Father of the Constitution? Type your answer in the space below. 8. The question below includes an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.Madison’s Virginia Plan was an important part of the Constitutional Convention, _ compromises were needed for it to work. although after because as a result 9. Vocabulary Word: compromise: if you compromise with someone, you reach an agreement with them in which you both give up something that you wanted. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence. Type the sentence in the space below.