Final answer:
The United States Constitution was created through debates and compromises. Federalists wanted a strong central government, while Anti-Federalists demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms. Key compromises included the Great Compromise, the Three-Fifths Compromise, and the Commerce Compromise.
Step-by-step explanation:
Creation of the United States Constitution
The United States Constitution was created through a series of debates and compromises during the drafting and ratification process. The key debates revolved around issues such as representation, slavery, and the balance of power between the federal and state governments.
Two Sides and Their Demands
1. Federalists: They wanted a strong central government and supported the Constitution. They believed in a system of checks and balances, where power is divided between the three branches of government. Federalists also wanted a government that could regulate commerce and ensure stability.
2. Anti-Federalists: They were concerned about the concentration of power in the federal government and wanted to protect individual liberties. They demanded the addition of a Bill of Rights to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the people.
Compromises
Some key compromises included:
- The Great Compromise: It settled the debate over representation in Congress by creating a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.
- The Three-Fifths Compromise: It resolved the issue of counting enslaved individuals for representation and taxation purposes by counting each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person.
- The Commerce Compromise: It addressed the disagreement over the regulation of commerce, allowing the federal government to regulate interstate and international trade while leaving the regulation of intrastate trade to the states.
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