Which of these statements about the Constitutional Convention is TRUE?

Question

Everyone who was at the Constitutional Convention supported and signed the Consitution.

Both the New Jersey Plan and Virginia Plan called for 3 branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.

Large, Northern states were able to force their will on the convention, dictating what the Constitution would look like.

The Constitution ignored the issue of slavery, instead concentrating on building a government.

Answer 1

The TRUE statement among the options provided about the Constitutional Convention is:

Both the New Jersey Plan and Virginia Plan called for 3 branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.

Here’s a brief overview of why the other statements are false:

1. Everyone who was at the Constitutional Convention supported and signed the Constitution. - This is false because not all delegates supported the final document; notable figures like George Mason and Elbridge Gerry refused to sign it.

2. Large, Northern states were able to force their will on the convention, dictating what the Constitution would look like. - This is an oversimplification and somewhat misleading. While larger states, particularly Virginia, had significant influence, the smaller states also played a crucial role, leading to a compromise that balanced both larger and smaller states' interests.

3. The Constitution ignored the issue of slavery, instead concentrating on building a government. - This is also misleading. While the Constitution did not explicitly mention the word "slavery" and included compromises regarding the slave trade and representation (like the Three-Fifths Compromise), it certainly did not ignore the issue completely. It was a critical and contentious topic during the convention.

Overall, the second statement about the branches of government is the only one that is completely accurate.