p5.09+Great+Compromise+Page



== Group Members and Roles=

Sukhpreet: Speech/Debater Deanna: Radio/Wiki/Photographer/Video Karie: Debater Jocelyn: Writer/Journalist Yesenia: Graphics/Video Editing

What Your Group Wants -- Plan for New Constitution
•For Virginia and New Jersey Plan to compromise. •For the nation to be united. •For equality to be attained. •For representation to be equal among all the states. •For the people to be one. •Together We're Better, Forever We're Stronger!

Bullet Points of Your Plan
•Merge the Virginia and New Jersey Plan into one=Great Compromise, •Includes House of Representatives and A Senate so that states will get equal representation in government no matter what it’s size is •3/5 Compromise allows blacks be counted as 3/5 of a person that shall be represented

Orator: Text of Your Speech
My fellow countrymen, brothers, revolutionaries. Allow me, Roger Sherman to present my case today. We gather today, as freemen, as individuals, people with one goal: liberty and the right to establish a successful government and also the right to abolish one that denies our freedom. Liberated from Britain’s strong grasp, we meet to discuss and establish our form of government, our way, and our laws. Present among us, we have two ardent opponents: the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan.

It is a mere unfortunate fact that here, we, men who fought for our liberty, sacrificed our brothers, sons, and fathers for the betterment of our future are arguing against each other, competing for representation, for our voices to be heard, for equality to be attained.

Consider this, why did we battle against Britain and her people? Why did we struggle for our liberty and equality? And now, what are we doing amongst ourselves? We are fighting against our own kin and people. The bitter truth, which we all know in our hearts, is that our nation is weak; we are crumbling and falling apart. Our existence is threatened, and all our glorious work and efforts will go to waste. We gather today to solve this dilemma. Do we want to go back to the previous standard of living, or as we may rather call it, torture? Do we want another nation to conquer us again? Why are we fighting amongst ourselves when we all have a common purpose, a common goal, a common interest? If we continue to debate viciously and cannot agree, imagine the outcomes. We will have 13 different governments. A republic of New York, a King of Georgia. We all, including the New Jersey Plan, and the Virginia Plan want a unified central government, we focus on the same beliefs. United, we are together. United, we stand. There is a resolution to this chaotic mess. There is hope. There is a light on the other side of the tunnel. And that is our destination. We will go on the journey together because if we don’t hang together, we will hang separately.

Both plans have great similarities, but are focused on selfish needs and personal gains. We need to consider our nation, the unity. We are nothing separately, but together our country can go to extreme heights. We must approach a moderate decision and agree to follow it. The tension is representation. The New Jersey Plan desires a unicameral house, that all states would be represented equally, and that all states would have the same power. However, the Virginia Plan proposes A House of Representatives and the Senate. The power would be in the legislature branch. All power to one group? Sound familiar? Both plans contain great ideas, but we have an even better plan.. Let’s combine these two plans and form the Great Compromise. Let’s form a bicameral legislature, a House of Reps who originates bills, a Senate that votes on them, and the executive branch, who may veto or pass the bill. This nation requires unity; we fought together, so let’s form our government together for our future. And when this country strives and we are at the top of the world, people will look back and calls us magnificent men who founded this country. Together we’re better, and forever we’re stronger!

Debater: Possible Objections to Plan and Your Replies
•Why isn't slavery a significant part of the Great Compromise? Answer: Our nation is weak. We desire unity and slavery tears us all apart. From Georgia's plantations to New England's churches. At this time, our country needs us, our people need us. Let's unite and then we can fight the other problems later! •What would happen if this convention failed? Answer: We would have 13 separate states with their own separated forms of government and no stable economy due to debt from the war. Having no stability would most likely cause many of the poorer states to fall under the grasp of the European super powers we have fought so hard to be independent of, and once again lead to many unnecessary civil wars. •Why should we have two houses of representation? Two houses seems unnecessary. Answer: Considering the fact that both large and small states are intent on keeping their proposals, we must compromise and make a plan in which both will have equal representation, therefore we must focus on the central idea of both plans and combine them to create one agreeable resolution.

Journalist: Write-Up of Convention Activity
At today’s Constitutional Convention Meeting, the delegates gave their speech on their varying proposals, each unaware that the Great Compromise was soon to woo them. At the launch of the convention, the tension between the Virginia and New Jersey Plan, as well as that arising between the Crispus Attucks and Dixiecrat Bloc could be felt throughout the room. With hissing and booing towards all the plans which they opposed began the debate on how to create a government which everyone would agree on.

The delegates from the Virginia Plan hung deeply to their beliefs and called out the New Jersey Plan several times throughout the debate. Edmund Randolph stated confidently that they wanted, “an executive, judicial, as well as a legislative branch, but that the legislative should have the most power.” He stuck to his belief that with the Virginia Plan (unlike the New Jersey Plan) would be advantageous since all people would get an equal say no matter where they live, all that matters is who they are. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Plan saw their plan backfire as they mistakenly answered that they preferred “majority rule,” giving the delegates of the opposing plan an advantage. However, the delegates from New Jersey vowed that if the New Jersey Plan was not ratified they would separate from the United States and research for compassion from either Canada or the Spanish Empire. Luckily, Benjamin Franklin was there to help them see what their differences had hindered them from seeing, the best proposal. Ben Franklin uttered the words that hopefully changed their view, “take ideas from both plans to make one.” During the group hug, tension arose once more, with everyone unwilling to join in until they saw the light at the end of the tunnel: the Great Compromise. Slavery, another major issue during the debate was also solved thanks to the Great Compromise who agreed with the Dixiecrat Bloc that every black was to be counted as 3/5 of a person when it came to governmental representation. Strong opposition was heard from the Crispus Attucks who repeated that the Declaration of Independence proclaimed, “All men are created equal,” and questioned that if, “America is free, could not we be?” However, the Dixiecrat Bloc compared the slaves to a zoo bred black bear that if freed, it would not be able to fend for itself in the wild. Likewise, freed slaves would have no chance at survival in society for they have not been raised educated free men and women, and they would not blend in with other members of society. Both opposing sides seesawed by throwing out questions regarding judgment and morality to which the response also included a question of the same aspect. The Great Compromise tried to assure them that, “it’s not a hard thing to do, we just need to compromise!” However, the determination of the slaves freedom was not solved, it was somehow agreed that they would be counted as 3/5 of a person regarding representation as expressed by the Dixiecrat Bloc and the Great Compromise.

Pictures