The Constitutional Convention

The delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 faced many conflicts that eventually resulted in compromise. The Convention was called after Shays' Rebellion showed the failure of the Articles of Confederation. Although the delegates agreed to form a new government, they disagreed on many issues. The first conflict facing the delegates concerned representation. The large states believed representation should be based on the population and proposed the Virginia Plan. James Madison and Virginia Governor Edmund Randolph …

…elected by the people. James Winston, not wanting to give too much power to the common people, settled the issue by suggesting that the voters choose presidential electors who than elect the president. All in all, four major areas of conflict were settled by compromises at the Constitutional Convention. A middle course was found for issues concerning representation, slavery, commerce, and the election of the president. Consequently the Constitution is called a "Bundle of Compromises".