The Three Great Compromises :: essays research papers

The Three Great CompromisesThe United States of America was founded on the basis of compromise, butwhat does compromise really mean? correspond to the Websters New WorldDictionary compromise means "an adjustment of opposing principles". Politicalsystems use compromises in daily life. The Three Great Compromises thatoccurred early in this nations government were the computerized axial tomography Compromise, the3/5 Compromise, and finally the Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise. Were it notfor these compromises the United States could still be governed under theArticles of Conferderation.The Connecticut Compromise was the most important compromise in the historyof the U.S. government. The representatives from each state were going to changethe government totally, from correctly state governments to a powerful centralgovernment, which they vowed not to do when they declared independence fromEngland. Rhode Island was so disgusted with the idea of changing the governmentthat they did not even come to the meeting. Finally by and by all the debating andeach state getting their say, they "compromised" on a plan where they would havetwo governmental houses, one organism the House of Representatives and the secondbeing the Senate, with the Senate being the stronger of the two houses. TheHouse of Representatives was based on each states universe, that is the morepeople in the state the more representatives that state would get. The Senatesaid that regardless of the states population each state would get tworepresentatives all with equal say.The 3/5 Compromise was mainly about slaves. The issue in this compromisewas should slaves be counted for determining representation for each state? TheNorth did not want them to be counted because they were considered possessions,not citizens, and that meant less representation for them. The South, on theother hand, wanted them to be counted because that meant that they could passlaws more beneficial to the South since they would have more representation. Sothey "compromised" and said that each slave counted 3/5 of a person.The final compromise was the Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise. The issuehere was should Congress be able to regulate barter and should the United Statescontinue with slave job? The North felt that Congress should control tradeand put an end to slave trading. The South was fearful of Northern jealousy ofSouthern agriculture trade with England, and the South was also wary of Congress