The crafting of the U.S. Constitution highlighted the intense conflicts that existed in 1787 between states large and small, between north and south, and between a variety of different political philosophies. But rather than defeating the process, the conflicts between delegates resulted in compromises that strengthened and improved the document. The process of compromise exhibited by the delegates was in many ways reflected in the flexibility the document allowed for continuous political debate, compromise, and adaptation.

The delegates based their initial design of government on political theories and their own experience with government under the Articles. The rest of the issues presented themselves in the form of debates over representation, the enumeration of slaves, the control of commerce, the protection of individual rights, and the amount of power granted to the people.

This did not impress the smaller states, which had been equally represented in the Confederation Congress, and did not intend to give that power up. For delegates like William Paterson, from New Jersey, it was absolutely necessary that states maintain equal representation in Congress despite their differences in population size.

On the issue of slavery, no mention was made about the legality of holding slaves. However, slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation and taxation, and the slave trade would be legal until the year 1808. This managed to appease both North and South because slaves would be partially counted, but would be taxed by the same proportion.

Madison's plan instigated the most serious and divisive debate facing the Convention: the issue of representation. Representing the large state of Virginia, Madison argued for a legislative branch in which each state sent a number of delegates proportional to their population.

Having overcome the hurdle of representation, the Convention turned its attention to reaching compromise on the other divisive issues, and to drafting the final document.

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Approximate Word count = 941
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)