2. The Constitutional Convention of 1787
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was marked by intense debates over representation, slavery, and the balance of power between federal and state authorities. Larger states advocated for proportional representation based on population, while smaller states demanded equal representation, leading to the Connecticut Compromise. The contentious issue of slavery resulted in the Three-Fifths Compromise, counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for representation purposes. Additionally, Southern states threatened to withdraw from the Convention if the Constitution prohibited the slave trade, prompting a 20-year extension of the practice (mountvernon.org).
